a barrier enclosing or bordering a field, yard, etc., usually made of vertical posts connected with horizontal sections of sturdy material or materials, as wood, metal, vinyl, or wire, used to prevent entrance, to confine, or to mark a boundary: Our garden fence is not high enough to keep the deer out.
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
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English fens, shortening of defens “(means of) fortification, resistance, defense”; see origin at defense
OTHER WORDS FROM fence
fence·like,adjectiveout·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
femto-, femtometer, femur, fen, fenagle, fence, fence in, fence lizard, fence-mending, fence-off, fence post
That means each team faces a lot more uncertainty about whether to buy or sell, especially when it comes to the large middle group of teams on the fence about which strategy is best.
Separating MLB’s Buyers From Sellers At The Weirdest Trade Deadline Ever|Neil Paine (neil.paine@fivethirtyeight.com)|August 28, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
We chained ourselves to the fences of Soviet consulates and embassies.
The Failed Hijacking That Remade the Soviet Union|Eromo Egbejule|August 24, 2020|Ozy
About 18 months later, the bull tossed Fisher into the air like an inconvenience and rammed him into the fence.
Biotechnology Could Change the Cattle Industry. Will It Succeed?|Dyllan Furness|August 16, 2020|Singularity Hub
NBC 7 reports that the city recently put up a fence to stop the gatherings after getting reports that not all the participants were wearing masks or social distancing.
Morning Report: Rural Districts Still Scrambling to Prepare for Online Learning|Voice of San Diego|August 12, 2020|Voice of San Diego
A gutted ballfield surrounded by a 10-foot chain-link fence is the only space resembling a park in the Sherman Heights neighborhood.
If Your Local Park Sucks, This Is Probably Why|MacKenzie Elmer|July 6, 2020|Voice of San Diego
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.
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
slanga dealer in stolen property
an obstacle for a horse to jump in steeplechasing or showjumping
machinerya 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
mainlyUS and Canadianto restore a position or reputation that has been damaged, esp in politics
to re-establish friendly relations (with someone)
on the fenceunable or unwilling to commit oneself
over the fenceAustralian and NZinformalunreasonable, unfair, or unjust
sit on the fenceto 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 fencehe 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