fence
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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English [edit]
Etymology [edit]
The original meaning is "the act of defending", from Middle French defens (see defence), adopted in the 14th century. The sense "enclosure" arises in the mid 15th century. Also from the 15th century is use as a verb in the sense "to enclose with a fence". The generalized sense "to defend, screen, protect" arises ca. 1500. The sense "to fight with swords (rapiers)" is from the 1590s (Shakespeare).
Pronunciation [edit]
Noun [edit]
fence (plural fences)
- A thin, human-constructed barrier which separates two pieces of land or a house perimeter.
- 1865, Horatio Alger, Paul Prescott's Charge - Chapter XVII,
- There was a weak place in the fence separating the two inclosures
- 1865, Horatio Alger, Paul Prescott's Charge - Chapter XVII,
- A middleman for transactions of stolen goods.
- The place whence such a middleman operates.
- Skill in oral debate.
- The art or practice of fencing.
- 1599, William Shakespeare, The Merry Wives of Windsor,
- I bruised my shin th' other day with playing at sword and dagger with a master of fence
- 1599, William Shakespeare, The Merry Wives of Windsor,
- A guard or guide on machinery.
- (figuratively) A barrier, for example an emotional barrier.
- 1980, ABBA, The Winner Takes It All
- I was in your arms
- Thinking I belonged there
- I figured it made sense
- Building me a fence
- 1980, ABBA, The Winner Takes It All
Synonyms [edit]
Derived terms [edit]
Terms derived from fence
Translations [edit]
barrier
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middleman
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked
See also [edit]
Verb [edit]
fence (third-person singular simple present fences, present participle fencing, simple past and past participle fenced)
- (transitive) To enclose, contain or separate by building fence.
- 1856, George A. Smith, The Saints Should Divest Themselves of Old Traditions,
- Here are twenty acres of land, and it is all you can properly farm, unless you have more help than yourself. Now fence and cultivate it, and you can make an abundant living.
- 1856, George A. Smith, The Saints Should Divest Themselves of Old Traditions,
- (transitive) To defend or guard.
- (transitive) To engage in the selling or buying of stolen goods.
- (intransitive) To engage in (the sport) fencing.
- 1921, Rafael Sabatini, Scaramouche,
- Challenges are flying right and left between these bully-swordsmen, these spadassinicides, and poor devils of the robe who have never learnt to fence with anything but a quill.
- 1921, Rafael Sabatini, Scaramouche,
- (intransitive) (equestrian) To jump over a fence.
Synonyms [edit]
- (to sell or buy stolen goods): pawn
Translations [edit]
to build a fence
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to sell stolen goods as a middleman
to engage in (the sport) fencing
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