return to the fold
return to the fold
1. To begin participating in, belonging to, or supporting some group, activity, or field that one left for a period of time in the past. After stepping away from politics for nearly ten years, the former governor is returning to the fold with his bid for the presidency. Danielson stated that she would be returning to the fold as the new head coach of her alma mater's rugby team.
2. To cause or compel someone to begin participating in, belonging to, or supporting some group, activity, or field that they left for a period of time in the past. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "return" and "fold." The video game publisher is attempting to return lapsed gamers to the fold with its innovative new home console. The company plans on returning the former CEO to the fold as an advisor.
See also: fold, return
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
return to the fold
Come back to a group after an absence, as in Matthew taught for a number of years, but now he's returned to the fold as vice-president of the firm . This term employs fold in the sense of "an enclosure for sheep," which has been used figuratively since the first half of the 1300s.
See also: fold, return
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
return to the fold
If someone returns to the fold, they start to belong to or support a group of people that they belonged to or supported in the past. He had left the party just before the peace deal was signed, but has since returned to the fold. Note: You can also say that someone comes back to the fold. A price cut is another way to get customers to come back to the fold. Note: You can say that someone brings someone back to the fold, to mean that they cause them to return to a group. The Government should ensure that the small and medium exporters are brought back to the fold.
See also: fold, return
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
return to the fold
come back to the community of beliefs or principles you originally belonged to, having previously repudiated it.The image is of a lost sheep returning to its fold. It can be expressed in various other wordings (e.g. ‘They welcomed him back to the fold ’).
2004 The Cherwell Magazine Online Blair's sudden rush to get it onto the statute books in time for the 2005 election is a shrewd political manoeuvre designed to encourage the party faithful, many of whom were alienated over Iraq, to return to the fold.
See also: fold, return
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
reˌturn to the ˈfold
(literary) come back to a group or community (especially a religious or political society): She left the party 10 years ago but has recently returned to the fold.A fold is a place where sheep are kept and so can mean a group of people who share the same ideas and beliefs.
See also: fold, return
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
- come back to the fold
- along for the ride
- along for the ride, to go/to come/just
- list (someone or something) among
- list among
- listing
- retain
- retain (something) over (someone or something)
- retain over
- neither fish nor flesh