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The Collaborative International Dictionary
Folk speech

Folk \Folk\ (f[=o]k), Folks \Folks\ (f[=o]ks), n. collect. & pl. [AS. folc; akin to D. volk, OS. & OHG. folk, G. volk, Icel. f[=o]lk, Sw. & Dan. folk, Lith. pulkas crowd, and perh. to E. follow.]

  1. (Eng. Hist.) In Anglo-Saxon times, the people of a group of townships or villages; a community; a tribe. [Obs.]

    The organization of each folk, as such, sprang mainly from war.
    --J. R. Green.

  2. People in general, or a separate class of people; -- generally used in the plural form, and often with a qualifying adjective; as, the old folks; poor folks.

    In winter's tedious nights, sit by the fire With good old folks, and let them tell thee tales.
    --Shak.

  3. The persons of one's own family; as, our folks are all well. [Colloq. New Eng.]
    --Bartlett.

    Folk song, one of a class of songs long popular with the common people.

    Folk speech, the speech of the common people, as distinguished from that of the educated class.