[pleat] vt [ME pleten, fr. pleit, plete plait] (14c) 1: fold; esp: to arrange in pleats "~ a skirt"
2: plait
2. -- pleat.er n
[2]pleat n [ME plete] (15c): a fold in cloth made by doubling material over on itself; also: something resembling such a fold -- pleat.less adj