rail fence

American  

noun

1. a fence made of rails resting on crossed stakes or across one another at an angle.

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Etymology

Origin of rail fence

An Americanism dating back to 1640–50

Example Sentences

Of course, I was barefooted and didn’t make any more noise than a lizard walking on a rail fence.

From Literature

Plans for a "timber post and rail fence" have been submitted to North Yorkshire Council to consider.

From BBC

To get there, we drove past split rail fences, fields of black-eyed Susans and grassy fields alternated with acres of burned trees and black stumps.

From Seattle Times

A rail fence cipher is a type of transposition cipher.

From Literature

Film and Video Festival in January 1981 featured a single page with a photo of a group of 20 or so people leaning against a wooden rail fence.

From Los Angeles Times