fence Hear it!

fence Definition

fence (fens)

noun

  1. Obsolete a protection; defense
  2. a barrier, as of wooden or metal posts, rails, wire mesh, etc., used as a boundary or means of protection or confinement
  3. the art of self-defense with foil, saber, or epee; fencing
    1. a person who deals in stolen goods
    2. a place where stolen goods are bought and sold

Etymology: ME fens, aphetic for defens, defense

transitive verb fenced, fenc′·ing

  1. to enclose, restrict, or hamper with or as with a fence: with in, off, etc.
  2. to keep (out) by or as by a fence
  3. Archaic to ward off; protect; defend
  4. to sell (stolen property) to a fence

intransitive verb

  1. to practice the art of fencing
  2. to avoid giving a direct reply; be evasive (with); parry
  3. to deal in stolen goods

fence Related Forms

fence′·less adjective

fence Idioms

mend one's fences

☆

to engage in politicking; look after one's political interests

on the fence

☆

uncommitted or undecided in a controversy

fence Synonyms

fence

n.

  1. That which surrounds an enclosure

    barricade, barrier, rail, railing, wall, picket fence, wire fence, board fence, electrified fence, barbed-wire fence, post-and-rail fence, chain-link fence, snake fence, Cyclone fence (trademark), rail fence, chain fence, stone wall, hedge, paling, balustrade, palisade, backstop, net, dike, ha-ha.

  2. Material to make an enclosure

    fencing, barbed wire, chicken wire, pickets, woven wire, palings, stakes, grape stakes, posts, rails, boarding.

  3. A receiver of stolen goods

    accomplice; front, front man, drop*, dump*, family man*, uncle*, swagman*.

mend one's fences*

renew contacts, look after one's political interests, solicit votes, politic; see campaign 1.

on the fence*

uncertain, uncommitted, undecided, neutral; see doubtful 2, undecided.

fence Synonyms

fence

v.

  1. To enclose with a fence

    surround, encircle, corral; see enclose 1.

  2. To avoid giving a direct reply

    hedge, parry, dodge, sidestep; see evade 1.

fence Law Definition

n

v

  1. An individual who buys and resells stolen goods or receives them on consignment.
  2. To buy stolen goods for resale, or receive them on consignment.

fence Usage Examples

Object

  • exclosure: Fieldwork was undertaken within a fenced deer exclosure in Glen Affric.
  • paddock: Beyond this are large fenced paddocks with hedgerow surround and a variety of fruit trees.
  • enclosure: The pound was a simple fenced enclosure, often with access to a stream for drinking water.

Converse of object

  • erect: I tried to erect a fence around the issue.
  • mend: Not a pleasant chap, but a shrewd politician who stabilized the Crown, and was able to mend fences.
  • electrify: The fearless Rusby tried to retrive one of them failing to notice the electrified fence until he made contact with it.
  • jump: We could have someone jumping a fence at Aintree, or taking a throw-in at the Cup final.
  • climb: They want to climb the fence, they want to go outside the boundaries.

Converse of subject

enclose: The outside is decorated with flowers in the summer ( enclosed by a fence to keep the sheep out ).

Adjective modifier

  • barbed: During the chase they are likely to be involved in road or rail accidents, or injure themselves in quarry or barbed wire fences.
  • electric: He is hoping that the electric fence they are erecting will keep the foxes at bay.
  • wooden: Cross driveway & continue ahead on footpath uphill with wooden fence on right.

Modifies a noun

sitter: Does listening generously mean that we have to accept as inevitable that some other christians will regard us as fence sitters?

Preposition: along

waterfront: They later brought a crane in to move boats back into the water, and started work on a fence along the waterfront.

Noun used with modifier

  • perimeter: No waste material should be allowed to accumulate anywhere in the premises, at the perimeter fence or on the roofs.
  • picket: You are passing houses, trees, picket fences or whatever is in the street.
  • wire: A 1m high mesh wire fence will be erected around the camping area where there are no natural barriers.
  • barbed-wire: How did money, the global link between isolated human lives, become at the same time a barbed-wire fence between them?
  • chain-link: They had two miles of chain-link fence hand made in Kathmandu.
  • palisade: A 1.8 meter high palisade fence will be erected between the rear gardens of each property.

Browse dictionary entries near fence

  1. ‹ fenagle
  2. ‹ fen
  3. ‹ femur
  4. ‹ femtocell
  5. ‹ femto-
  6. ‹ femme fatale
  7. ‹ femme de chambre
  8. ‹ femme
  9. ‹ feminize
  10. ‹ feminism
  1. fence-mending ›
  2. fencer ›
  3. fencible ›
  4. fencing ›
  5. fend ›
  6. fend for oneself ›
  7. fend off ›
  8. fender ›
  9. fender bender ›
  10. fenestra ›