In the direction of folding; toward a folded position or in a manner that suggests folding.
From 'fold' plus the directional suffix '-wards,' following the English pattern of 'towards,' 'backwards,' 'forwards.' This is an archaic or specialized term.
This is one of those beautifully logical English words that almost nobody uses anymore—like 'henceforward' or 'skywards,' it shows how English once had tons of directional adverbs.
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