Forms: 1 unfealdan, 3 unuolden, 3–6 un-, vnfolde (5 onfolde), 4– unfold (4–7 vn-), 6–7 vnfould; 5 north. vnfald(e, 6, 8 Sc. unfauld. [OE. unfealdan (f. un- UN-2 + fealdan FOLD v.1), = MDu. and Du. ontvouden, -vouwen (eastern MDu. -volden, -valden), G. entfalten.]
1. trans. To open or unwrap the folds of; to spread open; to expand; to straighten out.
c. 890. Wærferth, trans. Gregory’s Dial., 333. Þa boc … unlysan & unfealdan.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Luke iv. 17. Sona swa he þa boc unfeold, þa funde he [etc.].
c. 1205. Lay., 10544. Æuere his writen he vnfeold þer he forð ferde.
13[?]. Coer de L., 4809. Hys baner anon was unfolde, The Sarezynes anon gan behold.
1338. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 284. Bot if þe bulle vnfolden were red among vs here, Ȝour hote salle be holden.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XVII. 176. Þe paume hath powere … to vnfolde þe folden fuste.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 3027. Bald bernes on bent banars vnfaldis.
c. 1450. Lovelich, Grail, xxxvi. 462. Whanne this body he hadde beholde, Anon the clothes he dyde on-folde.
1530. Palsgr., 767/2. I unfolde any thyng that is folded up togyder, Je desploye. Ibid. Unfolde this clothe.
a. 1553. Udall, Roister D., III. iv. No lesse … Than this letter purporteth, which ye haue vnfolde.
1663. Davenant, Siege of Rhodes, Wks. (1672), 8. Sweeter then Buds unfolded in a Shower.
1697. Dryden, Æneis, VI. 393. Strife, that shakes Her hissing tresses, and unfolds her snakes.
1743. Francis, trans. Hor., Odes, IV. xv. 5. Phœbus … warn’d me … Not to unfold my little sail.
1784. Cowper, Task, IV. 153. The pattern grows, the well-depicted flow’r … Unfolds its bosom.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, xix. Come now,… unfold your arms from about my patient.
1841. T. R. Jones, Anim. Kingd., 399. One of the snails unfolds from the right side of its neck … a wide sacculus.
b. transf. or fig.
1390. Gower, Conf., II. 24. For I ne mai my wit unfolde To find o word of that I mene.
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turks (1621), 540. Unfolding his troupes (that standing there, they might at more libertie use their swords).
1633. G. Herbert, Temple, Dawning, 3. Unfold thy forehead gather’d into frowns.
1744. Akenside, Pleas. Imag., I. 73. Till in time … What he admired and loved, his vital smile Unfolded into being.
1839. Thirlwall, Greece, VI. 253. As these thoughts had been nourished and unfolded in himself by the recent change in his fortunes.
c. To open (the eyes or lips); to open (a gate, etc.) upon hinges.
a. 1325. in Horstm., Altengl. Leg. (1878), 144. Adam his eiȝen vnfeld; & seþþen his sone he biheld.
1620. Shelton, Quix., I. IV. xix. 518. He would not once vnfold his lips, vntill he might see what would be the period of his disgrace.
1667. Milton, P. L., IV. 381. Hell shall unfould … her widest Gates.
1801. Southey, Thalaba, VI. xvi. The gates of iron, by no human arm Unfolded, turning on their hinges slow.
1896. De Vinne, Moxon’s Mech. Exerc., 410. He … unfolded the frisket and tympan.
d. refl. (Also in fig. use.)
1779. Mirror, No. 22. Her voice seemed to unfold itself in singing, to suit every musical expression.
1821. Shelley, Epipsych., 480. An atom of th’ Eternal, whose own smile Untolds itself.
1891. Farrar, Darkn. & Dawn, xxxv. The whole world had turned … to thorns; would some new rosebud now unfold itself among them?
2. To disclose or reveal by statement or exposition; to explain or make clear.
a. 1050. Liber Scintill., xxxviii. (1889), 140. ʓeþancu unrihtwisnysse [hi] unfealdað.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 100. Þis is a cruel word…. Hit is bilepped & bihud, ac ich hit wulle unuolden.
a. 1250. Prov. Ælfred, 659. Al he bi-fulit his frend, Þen he him vnfoldit.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 1563. Calle hem alle to my cort…, Vnfolde hem alle þis ferly þat is bifallen here.
1426. Lydg., De Guil. Pilgr., 10962. At the grete Iugement Wher tassyses shal be holde, Al couert falsenesse to vnfolde.
c. 1475. Partenay, 5124. The holy fader wondred on that he told, Off tho merueles that ther [he] gan vnfold.
1595. Locrine, I. i. 83. I will vnto you all vnfold Our royall mind and resolute intent.
1658. Flecknoe, Epigr. & Enigm. Char., 1. Clearly unfolding and explicating the notions of her minde.
1693. Humours Town, 38. I will only unfold it to you as the nature of the thing is.
1782. Priestley, Matt. & Spir., I. Pref. p. xxxii. His system is … perhaps the same … if he would distinctly unfold it.
1817. Jas. Mill, Brit. India, II. V. ix. 689. In a speech … [he] unfolded the causes and extent of the national calamities.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), IV. 239. The brethren whose mysteries I am about to unfold to you are far more ingenious.
refl. 1602. Shaks., Ham., I. i. 2. Nay answer me: Stand & vnfold your selfe.
1637. B. Jonson, Sad Sheph., II. v. What riddle is this? unfold your selfe, deare Robin.
1831. Carlyle, Sart. Res., II. v. The self-secluded unfolds himself in … free, glowing words.
3. To disclose or lay open to the view; to display. Also fig.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Boeth., IV. met. v. (1868), 132. Whi þat boetes þe sterre vnfoldiþ his ouer swift arisynges.
1590. Shaks., Mids. N., I. i. 146. Briefe as the lightning in the collied night, That (in a spleene) vnfolds both heauen and earth.
1712. Blackmore, Creation, I. 430. The hollow vales their smiling pride unfold.
1812. S. Rogers, Columbus, XII. 32. To other eyes shall Mexico unfold Her feathered tapestries, and roofs of gold.
1872. Jenkinson, Guide Eng. Lakes (1879), 91. When the steep part of the journey is accomplished a lovely prospect is unfolded.
refl. 1837. W. Irving, Capt. Bonneville, III. 76. From this lofty eminence, a vast and magnificent prospect unfolds itself.
4. a. To unwrap; to take out of something folded.
1553. Brende, Q. Curtius, 190. Vnfolding his wound,… [he] shewed his legge vnto them.
1827. Scott, Chron. Canongate, v. Then was unfolded, out of many a little scrap of paper, the reserved sum of fifteen shillings.
b. To release, let go.
In Beaum. & Fl., Faithf. Shepherdess, II., ‘vnfould’ is an error for ‘infold’ or ‘enfold’: see note to UN-1 5 b.
1633. P. Fletcher, Purple Isl., XII. xlviii. These suppliant hands … Will never let thee loose, will never more unfold thee.
5. intr. To open (up or out); to spread out or expand; to become patent or plain, etc.
(a) c. 1350. Libeaus Desc., 2091 As he set þus in halle, Out of þe stone walle A window faire unfelde.
1697. Dryden, Æneis, X. 1. The Gates of Heav’n unfold; Jove summons all The Gods to Council.
1715. Pope, Iliad, IV. 1. And now Olympus’ shining gates unfold. Ibid. (1725), Odyss., IX. 533. Seest thou these lids that now unfold in vain?
1746. Francis, trans. Horace, Epist., I. xviii. 122. Ears, that unfold to every Tale, Intrusted Secrets ill conceal.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, xix. But the fingers do unfold.
1887. Bowen, Æneid, III. 94. The gates unfold of the shrine.
(b) c. 1586. C’tess Pembroke, Ps. (1823), LXXXI. i. Let joyfull songes to god unfold.
1601. Shaks., Twel. N., I. ii. 19. Mine owne escape vnfoldeth to my hope.
1725. Pope, Odyss., XII. 240. Now all at once tremendous scenes unfold.
1759. Robertson, Hist. Scot., II. Wks. 1813, I. 139. The queen’s scheme began gradually to unfold.
1833. Tennyson, Eleänore, v. I see thy beauty gradually unfold.
1858. Sears, Athan., III. i. 256. A system of infinite truth, which is to unfold through the ages.
(c) a. 1649. Crashaw, Carmen Deo Nostro, To C’tess of Denbigh. Unfold at length, unfold fair flowre.
1813. Scott, Rokeby, VI. i. That morning sun has three times seen The flowers unfold on Rokeby green.
1862. Thackeray, Philip, xvi. The pony-chaise unfolded into a noble barouche.
1875. Bennett & Dyer, trans. Sachs’ Bot., 175. The position of the leaves in the lateral buds before unfolding.
