intransitive verb
1. : to give way : collapse , crumple
at the first shot the deer stopped short, then suddenly folded up
the old chair suddenly folded up under him
2.
a. : to cease resistance or exertion : give up : fail , quit
the horse folded up in the homestretch
the defense folded up under the savage attack
the weak just get crushed; you can't blame them for folding up — K.M.Dodson
b. : to stop production or operation for lack of funds, support, or business success : go bankrupt : close up : close
small businesses were folding up right and left