blindfold
pronunciation
How to pronounce blindfold in British English:
UK [ˈblaɪndfəʊld]
How to pronounce blindfold in American English:
US [ˈblaɪndfoʊld]
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- Noun:
- a cloth used to cover the eyes
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- Verb:
- cover the eyes of (someon)e to prevent him from seeing
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- Adjective:
- wearing a blindfold
Word Origin
- blindfold
- blindfold: [16] The original term for covering someone’s eyes with a bandage was blindfell [OE], which survived until the 16th century. This meant literally ‘strike someone blind’, the second element being the fell of ‘felling trees’. It appears that its past form, blindfelled, came to be mistaken for a present form, and this, together with some perceived connection with fold (presumably the ‘folding’ of the bandage round somebody’s head), conspired to produce the new verb blindfold.
- blindfold (v.)
- 1520s, alteration, by similarity to fold, of blindfelled (early 14c.), past participle of blindfellan "blindfold, cover the eyes (with a bandage, etc.)," also "to strike blind" (c. 1200), from Old English (ge)blindfellian "to strike blind," from blind (adj.) + Anglian gefeollan "to strike down," as in to fell a tree (see fell (v.)). Related: Blindfolded; blindfolding.
- blindfold (n.)
- 1880, from blindfold (v.).
Example
- 1. Nervous passengers are advised to wear a blindfold .
- 2. The blindfold ( a 15th-century innovation ) represents the principle that justice should be blind .
- 3. A simple blindfold can result in an amazing level of arousal , so find that tie or scarf and enjoy !
- 4. And after just a few hours with the blindfold removed , the visual cortex again responded only to input from the eyes .
- 5. The blindfold was removed and I stood next to her , inches between us , facing a mirror in candlelight .