fence

[ fens ]

/ fɛns /

noun

a barrier enclosing or bordering a field, yard, etc., usually made of posts and wire or wood, used to prevent entrance, to confine, or to mark a boundary.

Informal. a person who receives and disposes of stolen goods.

the place of business of such a person.

the act, practice, art, or sport of fencing.

skill in argument, repartee, etc.

Machinery. a guard or guide, as for regulating the movements of a tool or work.

Carpentry. a slotted guide used especially with a framing square to lay out cuts on rafters and staircase strings.

Archaic. a means of defense; a bulwark.

verb (used with object), fenced, fenc·ing.

to enclose by some barrier, establishing exclusive right to possession: to fence a farm.

to separate by or as by a fence or fences (often followed by in, off, out, etc.): to fence off a corner of one's yard; to fence out unwholesome influences.

to defend; protect; guard: The president was fenced by bodyguards wherever he went.

to ward off; keep out.

Informal. to sell (stolen goods) to a fence.

Nautical. to reinforce (an opening in a sail or the like) by sewing on a grommet or other device.

verb (used without object), fenced, fenc·ing.

to practice the art or sport of fencing.

to parry arguments; strive to avoid giving direct answers; hedge: The mayor fenced when asked if he would run again.

(of a horse) to leap over a fence.

Obsolete. to raise a defense.

Idioms for fence

mend one's fences, to strengthen or reestablish one's position by conciliation or negotiation: One could tell by his superficially deferential manner that he was trying to mend his fences.

on the fence, uncommitted; neutral; undecided: The party leaders are still on the fence.

Origin of fence

1300–50; Middle English fens, aphetic for defens defense

OTHER WORDS FROM fence

fence·like, adjective out·fence, verb (used with object), out·fenced, out·fenc·ing. re·fence, verb (used with object), re·fenced, re·fenc·ing. un·fence, verb (used with object), un·fenced, un·fenc·ing.

well-fenced, adjective

Words nearby fence

femtometer, femur, fen, fen-phen, fenagle, fence, fence in, fence lizard, fence with, fence-mending, fence-off

Example sentences from the Web for fence

I have the unique advantage of seeing this from both sides of the fence.

Ferguson Tensions in Black and White |Seth Ferranti |November 21, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
But what about the screams, the salty puddles, and big empty packages of frozen fish lying on the ground outside the fence?

Activists: Moscow Sea Park Is ‘Torturing’ Its Orca Whales |Anna Nemtsova |October 27, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Ali Salameh and Abu Daud also arrived at the Olympic Village to observe the attack from outside the fence.

Mossad’s Greatest Female Assassin: An Excerpt From ‘Sylvia Rafael’ |Ram Oren,   Moti Kfir |September 20, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
He was, not even six hours after he scaled a fence and broke out.

How To Plan A Jailbreak |Seth Ferranti |September 13, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

For anyone who may be on the fence but willing to be convinced, this special is well worth their time.

Hey Anti-Vaxxers, Watch NOVA: Vaccines--Calling the Shots |Russell Saunders |September 11, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Halting a few paces away, Tracy motioned to us to avoid moving the bushes, but to approach the fence and look between the rails.

Military Reminiscences of the Civil War V2 |Jacob Dolson Cox
By now he could not see distinctly every sheep which jumped over the fence but he was still counting them.

The Boy Grew Older |Heywood Broun
The fence begins to melt as if in a haze and the logic of clearing this vast expanse of earth and rock escapes him.

The Land of Look Behind |Paul Cameron Brown
He sprang for the gate as if to force it open, while the crowd surged forward against the fence.

Adventure |Jack London
A few hosses that stampeded in my gettin' over the fence war all that was there!

From Sand Hill to Pine |Bret Harte

British Dictionary definitions for fence

fence

/ (fɛns) /

noun

a structure that serves to enclose an area such as a garden or field, usually made of posts of timber, concrete, or metal connected by wire, netting, rails, or boards

slang a dealer in stolen property

an obstacle for a horse to jump in steeplechasing or showjumping

machinery a guard or guide, esp in a circular saw or plane

a projection usually fitted to the top surface of a sweptback aircraft wing to prevent movement of the airflow towards the wing tips

mend one's fences

mainly US and Canadian to restore a position or reputation that has been damaged, esp in politics
to re-establish friendly relations (with someone)

on the fence unable or unwilling to commit oneself

over the fence Australian and NZ informal unreasonable, unfair, or unjust

sit on the fence to be unable or unwilling to commit oneself

verb

(tr) to construct a fence on or around (a piece of land, etc)

(tr; foll by in or off) to close (in) or separate (off) with or as if with a fence he fenced in the livestock

(intr) to fight using swords or foils

(intr) to evade a question or argument, esp by quibbling over minor points

(intr) to engage in skilful or witty debate, repartee, etc

(intr) slang to receive stolen property

(tr) archaic to ward off or keep out

Derived forms of fence

fenceless, adjective fencelike, adjective

Word Origin for fence

C14 fens, shortened from defens defence

Idioms and Phrases with fence

fence

In addition to the idioms beginning with fence

fence in
fence with

also see:

mend one's fences
on the fence
straddle the fence

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

fence

noun

verb (used with object), fenced, fenc·ing.

verb (used without object), fenced, fenc·ing.

Idioms for fence

Origin of fence

OTHER WORDS FROM fence

Words nearby fence

Example sentences from the Web for fence

British Dictionary definitions for fence

noun

verb

Derived forms of fence

Word Origin for fence

Idioms and Phrases with fence

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

fence

noun

verb (used with object), fenced, fenc·ing.

verb (used without object), fenced, fenc·ing.

Idioms for fence

Origin of fence

OTHER WORDS FROM fence

Words nearby fence

Words related to fence

Example sentences from the Web for fence

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for fence

noun

verb

Derived forms of fence

Word Origin for fence

Idioms and Phrases with fence

British Dictionary definitions for fence