fence

[ fens ]

/ fɛns /

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See synonyms for: fence / fenced / fencing on Thesaurus.com

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), 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.

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Idioms about 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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use fence in a sentence

Just the hard-on before you shoot unarmed members of the public.
'Babylon' Review: The Dumb Lives of Trigger-Happy Cops|Melissa Leon|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
France 24 is providing live, round-the-clock coverage of both scenes as they progress.
LIVE Coverage of the Paris Terror Attacks||January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Sands was involved in a scandalous-for-the-time romance with the carpenter and there were rumors she was pregnant with his child.
New York’s Most Tragic Ghost Loves Minimalist Swedish Fashion|Nina Strochlic|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Three on-the-record stories from a family: a mother and her daughters who came from Phoenix.
I Tried to Warn You About Sleazy Billionaire Jeffrey Epstein in 2003|Vicky Ward|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST

You just travel light with carry-on luggage, go to cities that you love, and get to hang out with all your friends.
Coffee Talk with Fred Armisen: On ‘Portlandia,’ Meeting Obama, and Taylor Swift’s Greatness|Marlow Stern|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Sleek finds it far harder work than fortune-making; but he pursues his Will-o'-the-Wisp with untiring energy.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
I saw every crook in the fence, every rut in the road, every bush and tree long before we came to it.
The Soldier of the Valley|Nelson Lloyd
Another fence: who would furnish that two hundred and fifty dollars and secure him for the remainder?
The Homesteader|Oscar Micheaux
You never know when you are going to stumble upon a jewel in the most out-of-the-way corner.
Music-Study in Germany|Amy Fay
Mr. Slocum was not educated in a university, and his life has been in by-paths, and out-of-the-way places.
The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun;|Various

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

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

mainly US and Canadian to restore a position or reputation that has been damaged, esp in politics
to re-establish friendly relations (with someone)

on the fence unable or unwilling to commit oneself

over the fence Australian and NZ informal unreasonable, unfair, or unjust

sit on the fence to 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

(intr) slang to receive stolen property

(tr) archaic to ward off or keep out

Derived forms of fence

fenceless, adjectivefencelike, adjective

Word Origin for fence

C14 fens, shortened from defens defence

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with fence

fence

In addition to the idioms beginning with fence

fence in
fence with

also see:

mend one's fences
on the fence
straddle the fence

fence

Idioms about fence

Origin of fence

OTHER WORDS FROM fence

Words related to fence

How to use fence in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for fence

Derived forms of fence

Word Origin for fence

Other Idioms and Phrases with fence