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. 2023

How to use fleece in a sentence

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

fleece

Origin of fleece

OTHER WORDS FROM fleece

Words related to fleece

How to use fleece in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for fleece

Word Origin for fleece