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fence
[ fens ]
noun
- 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)
- 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)
- 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.
fence
/ ɛԲ /
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
- to 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 fence informal.unreasonable, 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 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
- slang.intr to receive stolen property
- archaic.tr to ward off or keep out
Derived Forms
- ˈڱԳ, adjective
- ˈڱԳˌ, adjective
Other yvlog Forms
- ڱԳ· adjective
- dzܳ·ڱԳ verb (used with object) outfenced outfencing
- ·ڱԳ verb (used with object) refenced refencing
- ܲ·ڱԳ verb (used with object) unfenced unfencing
- well-fenced adjective
yvlog History and Origins
yvlog History and Origins
Origin of fence1
Idioms and Phrases
- 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.
The party leaders are still on the fence.
More idioms and phrases containing fence
- mend one's fences
- on the fence
- straddle the fence
Example Sentences
Bournemouth's form doesn't suggest they will take the points either, but I am not sitting on the fence like I expect you lot will.
It's a tough ask but had a convincing victory over fences at Ascot earlier in season and stamina looks assured.
The big race is due off at 16:00 BST, with runners and riders negotiating 30 fences - including Becher's Brook, The Chair and Canal Turn - over four and a quarter miles.
Even in the New York area, the landing stations are protected by little more than a camera and sometimes a chain-link fence.
Officials also installed fencing along Alvarado Street in an effort, they said, to put the brakes on the sale of stolen goods — including drugs and guns — by some street vendors.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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