blindfold

From Middle English blyndefolde, blyndfuld, blynfold, blindfeld, blindfelt, yblynfeld, variants of y-blyndfalled, blyndfelled, etc. ("stricken blind, blindfolded"), past participle of Middle English blindfellen (“to strike blind”), from blind (“to blind”) and fellen (“to fell”), equivalent to blind +‎ felled. Later influenced by the unrelated verb fold.

• IPA^(key): /ˈblaɪndfəʊld/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

blindfold (plural blindfolds)

1. A covering, usually a bandage, for the eyes, blocking light to the eyes.

   I put a blindfold over my boyfriend's eyes and told him I had a surprise for him.

2. (sometimes figurative) Anything that obscures the vision.

• eyeshade
• sleep mask

blindfold (not comparable)

1. Having the eyes covered so as to obscure vision
2. Thoughtless; reckless.

blindfold (not comparable)

1. With the eyes covered so as to obscure vision.
   • 1779, James Robertson, edited by John Sinclair, Statistical Account of Scotland, volume 11, page 620:

     They put all the bits of cake into a bonnet. Every one, blind-fold, draws out a portion.

   • 1962 April, J. N. Faulkner, “Summer Saturday at Waterloo”, in Modern Railways, page 258:

     The commuters from the suburbs come unencumbered with luggage, children and prams, and can almost be relied upon to find their way blindfold to their trains.

blindfold (third-person singular simple present blindfolds, present participle blindfolding, simple past and past participle blindfolded)

1. To cover the eyes, in order to make someone unable to see.

   Children need to be blindfolded before they hit the piñata.

2. To obscure understanding or comprehension.

• “blindfold”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.