fleece

[ flees ]

/ flis /

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See synonyms for: fleece / fleeced / fleecing / fleeceable on Thesaurus.com

noun

the coat of wool that covers a sheep or a similar animal.

the wool shorn from a sheep at one shearing.

something resembling a fleece: a fleece of clouds in a blue sky.

a fabric with a soft, silky pile, used for warmth, as for lining garments.

the soft nap or pile of such a fabric.

verb (used with object), fleeced, fleec·ing.

to deprive of money or belongings by fraud, hoax, or the like; swindle: He fleeced the stranger of several dollars.

to remove the fleece of (a sheep).

to overspread, as with a fleece; fleck with fleecelike masses: a host of clouds fleecing the summer sky.

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Origin of fleece

before 1000; Middle English flees,Old English flēos, flȳs; cognate with Middle Dutch vlies,Middle High German vlius,German Vlies

OTHER WORDS FROM fleece

fleece·a·ble, adjectivefleeceless, adjectivefleecelike, adjectivefleecer, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for fleece

Tired of being too hot in a puffy or too cold in a fleece, I decided to give Dovetail’s shacket a try.
The Gear Our Editors Loved in November|The Editors|December 4, 2020|Outside Online
Running in boots and fleece socks and an M-16 in your hands, that’s a different type of running, so I think that part, the challenge of it was probably the best to me.
For Virginia safety D’Angelo Amos, Veterans Day is a family affair|Gene Wang|November 11, 2020|Washington Post
Insulation in the arms and an extra layer of supple fleece along the body offers just enough warmth for a brisk morning hike.
Perfect Presents for the Grand Adventurer on Your List|Gabriela Aoun and Joe Jackson|November 10, 2020|Outside Online
Always have gloves — a lightweight fleece pair under a waterproof shell, for example.
Winter camping is not for the faint of heart. Here’s how to do it.|Melanie D.G. Kaplan|November 6, 2020|Washington Post

For that reason, wool is your best choice here, with synthetic fleece materials coming in a close second.
How to Layer for Outdoor Dining This Fall and Winter|Wes Siler|October 14, 2020|Outside Online
He even remembered to thank the voters and admonish cellphone companies for fleecing his fans.
Mohammed Assaf: From Underdog to Idol|Maysoon Zayid|June 25, 2013|DAILY BEAST
This non-interventive order was part of the royal policy, in order that the king might have the full fleecing of his visitors.
The Discovery of the Source of the Nile|John Hanning Speke
How a body charged with the public interests could be parties to this scandalous fleecing of the public passes comprehension.
The Transvaal from Within|J. P. Fitzpatrick
He's going to marry Miss Krill and her money, and is getting cash together by fleecing young Sandal.
The Opal Serpent|Fergus Hume
The Sirdar strongly objected to our interpreters, who were preventing him from fleecing us in the matter of stores and supplies.
Mount Everest the Reconnaissance, 1921|Charles Kenneth Howard-Bury
The more of a Philistine Cousin Henry was, the more satisfaction should there be in fleecing him.
Cousin Henry|Anthony Trollope

British Dictionary definitions for fleece

fleece

/ (fliːs) /

noun

the coat of wool that covers the body of a sheep or similar animal and consists of a mass of crinkly hairs

the wool removed from a single sheep

something resembling a fleece in texture or warmth

sheepskin or a fabric with soft pile, used as a lining for coats, etc

a warm polyester fabric with a brushed nap, used for outdoor garments

a jacket or top made from such a fabric

verb (tr)

to defraud or charge exorbitantly; swindle

another term for shear (def. 1)

Word Origin for fleece

Old English flēos; related to Middle High German vlius, Dutch vlies fleece, Latin plūma feather, down

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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fleece

noun

verb (used with object), fleeced, fleec·ing.

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Origin of fleece

OTHER WORDS FROM fleece

Example sentences from the Web for fleece

British Dictionary definitions for fleece

noun

verb (tr)

Word Origin for fleece

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

fleece

noun

verb (used with object), fleeced, fleec·ing.

QUIZZES

QUIZ YOURSELF ON AFFECT VS. EFFECT!

Origin of fleece

OTHER WORDS FROM fleece

Words related to fleece

Example sentences from the Web for fleece

British Dictionary definitions for fleece

noun

verb (tr)

Word Origin for fleece