Forms: 3 blindfellen, 4 blyndfelle(n, blynfelle, 5 blyndfellyn, -feyld, blynfelde, 6 blyndfell, -felde, blindfield, blyndfold, 6– blindfold. Pa. pple. 3 iblindfelled, 4 blindfelled, -feld, blyndfolde, blynfeld, yblyndfalled, 5 blynd(e)fellyd, fylde, 5–6 blynd(e)felde, 6 blindfilded, -fielded, 6– blindfolded. [ME. blindfelle(n to strike blind, f. fellen to strike, FELL; occurring mostly in the pa. pple. blindfelled, -feld, -fuld, -fylde, whence the -d was, in the 15th c., erroneously admitted into the stem of the vb. Hence the 16th-c. perversion blindfold, associated with the notion of folding something round the eyes, which had come to be the common use of the word.]

1

  † 1.  trans. To strike blind; to blind. Obs.

2

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 19615. Blinfeld [v.r. blenfelled, blindfeld, blyndfolde] he was als he sua lai.

3

c. 1320.  R. Brunne, Chron., 54. He suore … þat neuer Alfred his broþer þorgh him was dede No blynfeld, no slayn.

4

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 40. Blyndyn, or make blynde. Blyndfellen, idem est.

5

  2.  To cover the eyes, esp. with a bandage.

6

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 106. He þolede … þet me hinc blindfellede … Þauh þu þin eien … blindfellie on eorðe.

7

1388.  Wyclif, Luke xxii. 64. And thei blynfelden hym, and smyten his face.

8

1483.  Cath. Angl., 35. To Blyndfeyld [blyndfelle], velare.

9

1494.  Fabyan, VI. ccx. 225. She was blyndefelde & lad vnto the place.

10

c. 1510.  Barclay, Mirr. Good Mann. (1570), C iv. Here eyne blindfielded.

11

1526.  Tindale, Luke xxii. 64. And blyndfolded hym.

12

1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 259. Ye cloth with ye whiche our Sauyour was blyndfelde.

13

1530.  Palsgr., 458. I blyndefelde one, I cover his sight.

14

1599.  Life Sir T. More, in Wordsw., Eccl. Biog. (1853), II. 17. He tooke a napkin … wherewith he blindfolded his own eies.

15

1727.  Swift, Wonder of Wond., Wks. 1755, II. II. 58. He … gives any person leave to blindfold him.

16

1835.  Anster, Faust, 314. They bind and blindfold me.

17

  3.  fig. To darken the understanding or judgment.

18

1581.  Marbeck, Bk. of Notes, 1037. They are blindfolded, they are snared.

19

1674.  Allen, Dang. Enthus., 60. If Prejudice do not blindfold you.

20

1790.  Burke, Fr. Rev., 344. They … blindfold themselves, like bulls that shut their eyes when they push.

21

1879.  H. George, Progr. & Pov., II. iv. (1881), 125. Men ignore facts when blindfolded by a pre-accepted theory.

22