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

British Dictionary definitions for fence in

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 in (1 of 2)

fence in

Also, hem in. Restrict or confine someone, as in He wanted to take on more assignments but was fenced in by his contract, or Their father was old-fashioned and the children were hemmed in by his rules. Both expressions transfer a literal form of enclosure to a figurative one. The first gained currency from a popular song in the style of a cowboy folk song by Cole Porter, “Don't Fence Me In” (1944), in which the cowboy celebrates open land and starry skies. The variant is much older, dating from the late 1500s.

Idioms and Phrases with fence in (2 of 2)

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

British Dictionary definitions for fence in

noun

verb

Derived forms of fence

Word Origin for fence

Idioms and Phrases with fence in (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with fence in (2 of 2)

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 in

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

noun

verb

Derived forms of fence

Word Origin for fence

Idioms and Phrases with fence in (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with fence in (2 of 2)

British Dictionary definitions for fence in