Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

fence en · NOUN

Pronunciation

[fɛnts]
/fɛns/
(US) audio
[fɛns]

Etymology

From Middle English fence, fens, short for defence, defens (“the act of defending”), from Old French defens, defense (see defence). The sense "enclosure" arises in the mid 15th century. Also from the 15th century is use as a verb in the sense "to enclose with a fence". The generalized sense "to defend, screen, protect" arises ca. 1500. The sense "to fight with swords (rapiers)" is from the 1590s (Shakespeare). Displaced native Old English heġe (compare Modern English hedge).

Meanings

(countable, uncountable) A thin artificial barrier that separates two pieces of land or forms a perimeter enclosing the lands of a house, building, etc.
- There was a weak place in the fence separating the two inclosures 1865, Horatio Alger, chapter 17, in Paul Prescott's Charge:
- From the ground, Colombo’s port does not look like much. Those entering it are greeted by wire fences, walls dating back to colonial times and security posts. For mariners leaving the port after lonely nights on the high seas, the delights of the B52 Night Club and Stallion Pub lie a stumble away. 2013 June 8, “The new masters and commanders”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8839, page 52:
(countable, informal, uncountable) Someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods, a criminal middleman for transactions of stolen goods.
- The Finn was a fence, a trafficker in stolen goods, primarily in software. In the course of this business, he sometimes came into contact with other fences, some of whom dealt in the more traditional articles of the trade. 1984, William Gibson, Neuromancer (Sprawl; book 1), New York, N.Y.: Ace Books, →ISBN, page 73:
- The Bat—they called him the Bat.[…]. He'd never been in stir, the bulls had never mugged him, he didn't run with a mob, he played a lone hand, and fenced his stuff so that even the fence couldn't swear he knew his face. 1920, Mary Roberts Rinehart, Avery Hopwood, chapter I, in The Bat: A Novel from the Play (Dell Book; 241), New York, N.Y.: Dell Publishing Company, →OCLC, page 01:
(broadly, countable, uncountable) The place whence such a middleman operates.
(countable, uncountable) Skill in oral debate.
(obsolete, uncountable) The art or practice of fencing.
- I bruised my shin th' other day with playing at sword and dagger with a master of fence 1599, William Shakespeare, The Merry Wives of Windsor:
(countable, uncountable) A guard or guide on machinery.
(countable, figuratively, uncountable) A barrier, for example an emotional barrier.
- I was in your arms Thinking I belonged there I figured it made sense Building me a fence 1980, ABBA, “The Winner Takes It All”:
(Jewish, countable, uncountable) A prohibition enacted to prevent violation of another more primary rule.
- For quite other reasons Jewish religious authorities, too, restricted the size of the orchestra. They sought to erect a "fence" against hilarity and gaiety, out of respect for their ever remembered "Destruction." 1929, Abraham Zevi Idelsohn, Jewish Music: Its Historical Development, page 456:
(countable, uncountable) A memory barrier.
(countable, uncountable) The boundary.

Forms

Spelling	Features	Labels	Source
fences	Number=Plur		lexicographic

Translations (269)

be плот (barrier) · ast corripia (barrier) · nb heler (someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods) · ckb پەرژین (barrier) · mi taiapa (barrier) · ga sconsa (barrier) · mn ᠬᠠᠶᠢᠰᠤ (barrier) · ps کټاره (barrier) · yi פּלויט (barrier) · sw ua (someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods) · fr receleur (someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods) · hsb płot (barrier) · tr çeper (barrier) · lo ຮົ້ວ (barrier) · tk haýat (barrier) · alt чеден (barrier) · prs کَتَارَه (barrier) · de Zaun (barrier) · bn বেড়া (barrier) · kix wām (someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods) · wal dirssaa (barrier) · sq rrethojë (barrier) · jv pager (barrier) · fi välittäjä (someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods) · bho बाड़ (barrier) · pdt Tun (barrier) · wa cloteure (barrier) · nl heler (someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods) · ky кашаа (barrier) · mba alad (barrier) · ky дубал (barrier) · cs ohrada (barrier) · sk ohrada (barrier) · az hasar (barrier) · as জেওৰা (barrier) · de Fence (barrier) · fr fourgue (someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods) · ca valla (barrier) · hy չափար (barrier) · de Fenz (barrier) · ast zarru (barrier) · tr duvar (barrier) · ml വേലി (barrier) · ajp جدار (barrier) · bcl kudal (barrier) · ro tăinuitor (someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods) · it recinto (barrier) · bi banis (barrier) · el περίφραξη (barrier) · ha shinge (barrier) · fa-ira حِصار (barrier) · grc φραγμός (barrier) · ta வேலி (barrier) · os ӕмбонд (barrier) · id pagar (barrier) · la saepēs (barrier) · my အကာ (barrier) · it barriera (barrier) · mn ᠬᠠᠰᠢᠶ᠎ᠠ (barrier) · amf qalánsi (barrier) · bg плет (barrier) · kl ungaloq (barrier) · am አጥር (barrier) · ka გალავანი (barrier) · eo barilo (barrier) · cu плотъ (barrier) · ba ҡойма (barrier) · lv sēta (barrier) · be тын (barrier) · pt cerca (barrier) · cmn 柵欄 /栅栏 (barrier) · fi jobbari (someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods) · es barda (barrier) · vi hàng rào (barrier) · te కంచె (barrier) · uga 𐎂𐎄𐎗𐎚 (barrier) · kn ಬೇಲಿ (barrier) · ru и́згородь (barrier) · mi taki (a guard or guide on machinery) · az çəpər (barrier) · pl płot (barrier) · it ricettatore (someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods) · amf áigi (barrier) · rif afray (barrier) · th รั้ว (barrier) · cs oplocení (barrier) · ug قاشا (barrier) · wym caojn (barrier) · de Hag (barrier) · eu hesi (barrier) · hu orgazda (someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods) · rm saiv (barrier) · sh ȍgrada (barrier) · pt receptador (someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods) · fr cloison (barrier) · ko 울타리 (barrier) · nl hek (barrier) · ajp سياج (barrier) · es seto (barrier) · he גָדֵר (barrier) · es cerco (barrier) · ja 垣根 (barrier) · sty цитән (barrier) · nl omheining (barrier) · uk парка́н (barrier) · uk тин (barrier) · mdf перяфкс (barrier) · cu халѫга (barrier) · kk дуал (barrier) · fa-ira پَرْچین (barrier) · fi luukku (someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods) · nrf cllôture d'bouais (barrier) · pl paser (someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods) · it siepe (barrier) · hi बाड़ (barrier) · as বেৰা (barrier) · ca barrera (barrier) · ga fál (barrier) · ro îngrăditură (barrier) · uk пліт (barrier) · az divar (barrier) · ru огражде́ние (barrier) · cy ffens (barrier) · cy ffensiwr (someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods) · ast allambráu (barrier) · ro gard (barrier) · mk о́града (barrier) · ga airbhe (barrier) · fr recéleuse (someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods) · mk плот (barrier) · br peulgae (barrier) · ja 塀 (barrier) · om dallaa (barrier) · tpi banis (barrier) · nb gjerde (barrier) · ms pagar (barrier) · tyz ái (barrier) · ru огра́да (barrier) · ast barganaz (barrier) · el φράχτης (barrier) · fo girðing (barrier) · kmr tan (barrier) · uk огоро́жа (barrier) · ja 囲い (barrier) · lt tvora (barrier) · ar سِيَاج (barrier) · mn хашаа (barrier) · fa-ira دیوار (barrier) · hy ցանկապատ (barrier) · kk қаша (barrier) · es cercado (barrier) · sq gardh (barrier) · be агаро́джа (barrier) · km ចំណារ (barrier) · ajp سُور (barrier) · aiw gurdá (barrier) · gv kionneyder griu (someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods) · grc ἕρκος (barrier) · km រ (barrier) · ota چیت (barrier) · ka ღობე (barrier) · sid huxxa (barrier) · wa håye di ronxhes (barrier) · mn хайс (barrier) · tr çit (barrier) · svs bani (barrier) · es alambrado (barrier) · ast cierru (barrier) · gd feansa (barrier) · es cerramiento (barrier) · gsw Haag (barrier) · el κλεπταποδόχος (someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods) · sv stängsel (barrier) · fi aita (barrier) · ceb koral (barrier) · tg девор (barrier) · ja 垣 (barrier) · ast barganera (barrier) · sw ua (barrier) · sv staket (barrier) · om kellaa (barrier) · ca tanca (barrier) · it cinta (barrier) · ga claí (barrier) · pdc Fenz (barrier) · ja 柵 (barrier) · qu pirqa (barrier) · el μάντρα (barrier) · gl cerrume (barrier) · amf kermí (barrier) · es cercadura (barrier) · sh plȏt (barrier) · an barana (barrier) · ru забо́р (barrier) · uz devor (barrier) · az sədd (barrier) · sh пло̑т (barrier) · eo ricelisto (someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods) · tk aýmança (barrier) · cs plot (barrier) · kmr çeper (barrier) · ar سُور (barrier) · mi taiepa (barrier) · ru бары́га (someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods) · ro tăinuitoare (someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods) · bg огра́да (barrier) · fr receleuse (someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods) · de Hehler (someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods) · da hegn (barrier) · mi takitaki (barrier) · tg ҳисор (barrier) · nrf cliôthuthe (barrier) · sk oplotenie (barrier) · it palizzata (barrier) · nn gjerde (barrier) · amf agála (barrier) · hnn alad (barrier) · sh о̏града (barrier) · be парка́н (barrier) · te దడి (barrier) · fr clôture (barrier) · da hæler (someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods) · sl ograja (barrier) · gl valo (barrier) · az barı (barrier) · sv hälare (someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods) · ur باڑ (barrier) · es perista (someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods) · es cerca (barrier) · it steccato (barrier) · mk плет (barrier) · sk plot (barrier) · cmn 籬笆 /篱笆 (barrier) · es valla (barrier) · oc clausura (barrier) · ca perista (someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods) · gd bàrd (barrier) · es reducidor (someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods) · my စည်း (barrier) · nn helar (someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods) · tt койма (barrier) · ko 담 (barrier) · msk arad (barrier) · chk tit (barrier) · my ခြံစည်းရိုး (barrier) · es alambrada (barrier) · ce керт (barrier) · si වැට (barrier) · id perantara (someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods) · ti ሓጹር (barrier) · gd callaid (barrier) · kw kloos (barrier) · ang heġe (barrier) · uz toʻsiq (barrier) · hu kerítés (barrier) · de Hehlerin (someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods) · et tara (barrier) · gv cleigh (barrier) · fr recéleur (someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods) · ru ску́пщик кра́деного (someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods) · izh aita (barrier) · kw ke (barrier) · tl bakod (barrier) · dsb płot (barrier) · pl ogrodzenie (barrier) · mrw alad (barrier) · is girðing (barrier) · lv žogs (barrier) · tyv кажаа (barrier)

wikipedia: Modern English

fence en · VERB

Pronunciation

[fɛnts]
/fɛns/
(US) audio
[fɛns]

Etymology

Meanings

(transitive) To enclose, contain or separate by building fence.
- Here are twenty acres of land, and it is all you can properly farm, unless you have more help than yourself. Now fence and cultivate it, and you can make an abundant living. 1856, George A. Smith, The Saints Should Divest Themselves of Old Traditions:
- […] O thou wall, That girdlest in those wolves, dive in the earth, And fence not Athens. 1607, William Shakespeare, Timon of Athens, act IV, scene 1:
- […] pray you, if you know, Where in the purlieus of this forest stands A sheep-cote fenc’d about with olive trees? 1599, William Shakespeare, As You Like It, act IV, scene 3:
(transitive) To defend or guard.
- Cosin, our hands I hope shall fence our heads, And strike off his that makes you threaten vs. 1594, Christopher Marlowe, Edward II, London: William Jones:
- […] I have learn’t To fence my ear against thy sorceries. 1671, John Milton, Paradise Regain’d […] to which is added Samson Agonistes, London: John Starkey, Samson Agonistes, page 58, lines 937–938:
(transitive) To engage in the selling or buying of stolen goods.
- The Bat—they called him the Bat.[…]. He'd never been in stir, the bulls had never mugged him, he didn't run with a mob, he played a lone hand, and fenced his stuff so that even the fence couldn't swear he knew his face. 1920, Mary Roberts Rinehart, Avery Hopwood, chapter I, in The Bat: A Novel from the Play (Dell Book; 241), New York, N.Y.: Dell Publishing Company, →OCLC, page 01:
(ambitransitive) To engage in the sport of fencing (against).
- Challenges are flying right and left between these bully-swordsmen, these spadassinicides, and poor devils of the robe who have never learnt to fence with anything but a quill. 1921, Rafael Sabatini, Scaramouche:
(intransitive) To jump over a fence.
(intransitive) To conceal the truth by giving equivocal answers; to hedge; to be evasive.
- A lady, sir, as you will find, / Keeps counsel, or she speaks her mind, / Means what she says and scorns to fence / And palter with feigned innocence. 1981, A. D. Hope, “His Coy Mistress to Mr. Marvell”, in A Book of Answers:
- You only give me ten minutes. If I am to put my case before you, Mr Carrados, we cannot fence with phrases... 1914, Ernest Bramah, Max Carrados:

Forms

Spelling	Features	Source
fences	Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres	lexicographic
fencing	Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part	lexicographic
fenced	Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part	lexicographic
fenced	Tense=Past	lexicographic

Deriveds

refence · ringfence · outfence · fencer · fence in · ring-fence

Synonyms

pawn (to sell or buy stolen goods)

Translations (91)

de fenzen (to enclose by building a fence) · pt esgrimir (to engage in (the sport) fencing) · it recintare (to enclose by building a fence) · gl cercar (to enclose by building a fence) · de umzäunen (to enclose by building a fence) · pl walczyć na szable (to engage in (the sport) fencing) · cs šermovat (to engage in (the sport) fencing) · da fægte (to engage in (the sport) fencing) · bg фехтувам се (to engage in (the sport) fencing) · ru бары́жить (to trade with stolen goods) · sw ua (to enclose by building a fence) · kw skyrmya (to engage in (the sport) fencing) · fi suojata (to defend or guard) · et vehklema (to engage in (the sport) fencing) · cs oplocovat (to enclose by building a fence) · uk обгоро́джувати (to enclose by building a fence) · es cercar (to enclose by building a fence) · de zäunen (to enclose by building a fence) · cs ohrazovat (to enclose by building a fence) · fi trokata (to trade with stolen goods) · fi miekkailla (to engage in (the sport) fencing) · eo skermi (to engage in (the sport) fencing) · de einfriedigen (to enclose by building a fence) · fi aidata (to enclose by building a fence) · cy ffensio (to enclose by building a fence) · kw keas (to enclose by building a fence) · sl sabljati se (to engage in (the sport) fencing) · de umfriedigen (to enclose by building a fence) · cs ohradit (to enclose by building a fence) · ru фехтова́ть (to engage in (the sport) fencing) · sv inhägna (to enclose by building a fence) · pl walczyć na szpady (to engage in (the sport) fencing) · grc φράσσω (to enclose by building a fence) · nn hela (to trade with stolen goods) · ga déan pionsóireacht (to engage in (the sport) fencing) · sv fäkta (to engage in (the sport) fencing) · de einfrieden (to enclose by building a fence) · mi tautātete (to engage in (the sport) fencing) · fi luukuttaa (to trade with stolen goods) · ga fálaigh (to enclose by building a fence) · mk мечува (to engage in (the sport) fencing) · ru огороди́ть (to enclose by building a fence) · fi suojella (to defend or guard) · de umfrieden (to enclose by building a fence) · gl choer (to enclose by building a fence) · ro scrima (to engage in (the sport) fencing) · ro împrejmui (to enclose by building a fence) · de einhegen (to enclose by building a fence) · ka ფარიკაობა (to engage in (the sport) fencing) · mk оградува (to enclose by building a fence) · de einzäunen (to enclose by building a fence) · ru огора́живать (to enclose by building a fence) · el ξιφομαχώ (to engage in (the sport) fencing) · fr fourguer (to trade with stolen goods) · nl helen (to trade with stolen goods) · izh aijoittaa (to enclose by building a fence) · bg ограждам (to enclose by building a fence) · el φράζω (to enclose by building a fence) · pt cercar (to enclose by building a fence) · ca esgrimir (to engage in (the sport) fencing) · io fencagar (to enclose by building a fence) · kix wām (to enclose by building a fence) · pl ogrodzić (to enclose by building a fence) · cy cleddyfa (to engage in (the sport) fencing) · fi välittää (to trade with stolen goods) · ka ხმალაობა (to engage in (the sport) fencing) · hi बाड़ा (to enclose by building a fence) · eo riceli (to trade with stolen goods) · uk огоро́джувати (to enclose by building a fence) · uk обгороди́ти (to enclose by building a fence) · cy ffensio (to trade with stolen goods) · sq thur (to enclose by building a fence) · io skermar (to engage in (the sport) fencing) · uk огороди́ти (to enclose by building a fence) · sw ua (to engage in (the sport) fencing) · ro înconjura (to enclose by building a fence) · de befrieden (to enclose by building a fence) · pl ogradzać (to enclose by building a fence) · mk се мечува (to engage in (the sport) fencing) · el περιφράσσω (to enclose by building a fence) · cs oplotit (to enclose by building a fence) · ro îngrădi (to enclose by building a fence) · de hehlen (to trade with stolen goods) · fr clôturer (to enclose by building a fence) · de einhagen (to enclose by building a fence) · es esgrimir (to engage in (the sport) fencing) · tr çitlemek (to enclose by building a fence) · el πωλώ κλοπιμαία (to trade with stolen goods) · fi ylittää este (equestrianism: to jump over a fence) · de fechten (to engage in (the sport) fencing) · he גידר (to enclose by building a fence)

wikipedia: Modern English

Dictionary

fence en · NOUN

Pronunciation

Etymology

Meanings

Forms

Deriveds

Descendants

Hyponyms

Relateds

Synonyms

Translations (269)

fence en · VERB

Pronunciation

Etymology

Meanings

Forms

Deriveds

Synonyms

Translations (91)