Folk

Folk - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

FOLK, n. foke. [L. vulgus. The sense is a crowd, from collecting or pressing, not from following, but from the same root, as to follow is to press toward. Gr. Originally and properly it had no plural, being a collective noun; but in modern use, in America, it has lost its singular number, and we hear it only in the plural. It is a colloquial word, not admissible into elegant style.]

1. People in general, or any part of them without distinction. What do folks say respecting the war? Men love to talk about the affairs of other folks.

2. Certain people, discriminated from others; as old folks, and young folks. Children sometimes call their parents, the old folks. So we say sick folks; poor folks; proud folks.

3. In scripture, the singular number is used; as a few sick folk; impotent folk. Mark 6. John 5.

4. Animals.

The coneys are but a feeble folk. Prov 30.

fok:

The translation of `am, `am "a people or nation" (Ge 33:15, "some of the folk that are with me"; Pr 30:26, "The conies are but a feeble folk"); of le'om, with the same meaning (Jer 51:58, "the folk in the fire," the Revised Version (British and American) "the nations for the fire"); "sick folk" is the translation of arrhostos, "not strong" (Mr 6:5); of ton asthenounton, participle of astheneo, "to be without strength," "weak," "sick" (Joh 5:3, the Revised Version (British and American) "them that were sick"); "sick folks," of astheneis plural of asthenes, "without strength," the Revised Version (British and American) "sick folk" (Ac 5:16).

W. L. Walker