fence
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fence
(fĕns)n.
1. A structure serving as an enclosure, a barrier, or a boundary, usually made of posts or stakes joined together by boards, wire, or rails.
2. An adjustable guide with a flat edge used on a table saw and positioned parallel to the plane of the cutting attachment in order to keep the board properly positioned for the cut to be made at the correct distance from the board's edge.
3.
a. One who receives and sells stolen goods.
b. A place where stolen goods are received and sold.
4. Archaic A means of defense; a protection.
v. fenced, fenc·ing, fenc·es
v.tr.
1. To surround or enclose with a fence or other barrier. See Synonyms at enclose.
2. To separate or keep out by means of a fence or other barrier: fenced off one field from another; fenced out the deer from the garden.
3. To sell (stolen goods) to a fence.
4. Archaic
a. To ward off; keep away.
b. To defend.
v.intr.
Idiom: 1. To practice the art or sport of fencing.
2. To avoid giving direct answers; hedge.
3. To act as a conduit for stolen goods.
on the fence Informal
Undecided as to which of two sides to support; uncommitted or neutral.
[Middle English fens, short for defens, defense; see defense.]
fenc′er n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
fence
(fɛns)n
1. (Building) 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
2. slang a dealer in stolen property
3. (Horse Training, Riding & Manège) an obstacle for a horse to jump in steeplechasing or showjumping
4. (Mechanical Engineering) machinery a guard or guide, esp in a circular saw or plane
5. (Aeronautics) a projection usually fitted to the top surface of a sweptback aircraft wing to prevent movement of the airflow towards the wing tips
6. mend one's fences
a. chiefly US and Canadian to restore a position or reputation that has been damaged, esp in politics
b. to re-establish friendly relations (with someone)
7. on the fence unable or unwilling to commit oneself
8. over the fence informal Austral and NZ unreasonable, unfair, or unjust
9. sit on the fence to be unable or unwilling to commit oneself
vb
10. (tr) to construct a fence on or around (a piece of land, etc)
11. (tr; foll by in or off) to close (in) or separate (off) with or as if with a fence: he fenced in the livestock.
12. (Fencing) (intr) to fight using swords or foils
13. (intr) to evade a question or argument, esp by quibbling over minor points
14. (intr) to engage in skilful or witty debate, repartee, etc
15. (intr) slang to receive stolen property
16. (tr) archaic to ward off or keep out
[C14 fens, shortened from defens defence]
ˈfenceless adj
ˈfenceˌlike adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
fence
(fɛns)n., v. fenced, fenc•ing. n.
1. a barrier enclosing or bordering a field, yard, etc., usu. made of posts and wire or wood, used to prevent entrance, confine a person or thing, or mark a boundary.
2. a person who receives and disposes of stolen goods.
3. the place of business of such a person.
4. the art or sport of fencing.
5. Archaic. a means of defense; a bulwark.
v.t. 6. to enclose by a fence: to fence a farm.
7. to separate by or as if by a fence or fences (often fol. by in, off, out, etc.): to fence off a corner of a garden.
8. to prevent entry of by a fence.
9. to sell (stolen goods) to a fence.
10. to defend; protect; guard.
v.i. 11. to practice the art or sport of fencing.
12. to parry arguments; strive to avoid giving direct answers; hedge.
13. Obs. to raise a defense.
Idioms: on the fence, uncommitted; neutral.
[1300–50; Middle English fens, aph. variant of defens defense]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
fence
Past participle: fenced
Gerund: fencing
| Imperative |
|---|
| fence |
| fence |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  fence - a barrier that serves to enclose an areabackstop - (baseball) a fence or screen (as behind home plate) to prevent the ball from traveling out of the playing field barrier - a structure or object that impedes free movement chainlink fence - a fence of steel wires woven into a diamond pattern paling, picket fence - a fence made of upright pickets rail fence - a fence (usually made of split logs laid across each other at an angle) stone wall - a fence built of rough stones; used to separate fields wall - a masonry fence (as around an estate or garden); "the wall followed the road"; "he ducked behind the garden wall and waited" weir - a fence or wattle built across a stream to catch or retain fish fence line - a boundary line created by a fence |
| 2. | fence - a dealer in stolen property colloquialism - a colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech | |
| Verb | 1. | fence - enclose with a fence; "we fenced in our yard" |
| 2. | fence - receive stolen goods | |
| 3. | fence - fight with fencing swords | |
| 4. | fence - surround with a wall in order to fortify protect - shield from danger, injury, destruction, or damage; "Weatherbeater protects your roof from the rain" stockade - surround with a stockade in order to fortify circumvallate - surround with or as if with a rampart or other fortification | |
| 5. |  fence - have an argument about something stickle - dispute or argue stubbornly (especially minor points) spar - fight verbally; "They were sparring all night" bicker, brabble, pettifog, squabble, quibble, niggle - argue over petty things; "Let's not quibble over pennies" altercate, argufy, quarrel, scrap, dispute - have a disagreement over something; "We quarreled over the question as to who discovered America"; "These two fellows are always scrapping over something" oppose - be against; express opposition to; "We oppose the ban on abortion" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
fence
noun
1. barrier, wall, defence, guard, railings, paling, shield, hedge, barricade, hedgerow, rampart, palisade, stockade, barbed wire They climbed over the fence into the field.
2. receiver, dealer, buyer, trader, trafficker, receiver of stolen goods, receiver of stolen property, criminal He acted as a fence for a gang of burglars.
verb
sit on the fence be uncommitted, be uncertain, be undecided, vacillate, be in two minds, blow hot and cold (informal), be irresolute, avoid committing yourself He is sitting on the fence, refusing to commit himself.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
fence
verb1. To confine within a limited area.Also used with in:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
سِياجيُبارِز بالسَّيْفيَتنَجَنَّب الإجابَهيُسَيِّج، يَضَعُ سوراسور
plotšermovatvytáčet seohradaohradit
hegnindhegnestakitundvige=-hegn
skermi
aitamiekkaillavälittää
ograda
kerítésorgazda
pagarperantara
girîagirîingskylmastverjast svari
柵
울타리
iežogotizvairīties no atbildespaukotiesžogs
ogrodzeniepaserpłot
plotšermovať
ograja
staket
รั้ว
çitçit tahtaçitle çevirmekeskrim yapmakkaçamak cevap vermek
hàng rào
fence
[fens]A. N
1. (gen) → valla f, cerca f; (= wire fence) → alambrada f (Racing) → valla f
to mend one's fences (= restore relations) → mejorar las relaciones; (= restore reputation) → restablecer la reputación
to sit on the fence → no comprometerse, mirar los toros desde la barrera
to mend one's fences (= restore relations) → mejorar las relaciones; (= restore reputation) → restablecer la reputación
to sit on the fence → no comprometerse, mirar los toros desde la barrera
2. (= receiver of stolen goods) → perista mf
B. VT
C. VI
2. (fig) → defenderse con evasivas
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
fence
[ˈfɛns] n
(= barrier) → barrière f
to sit on the fence (= avoid committing o.s.) → ménager la chèvre et le chou
to mend fences (= improve relations) → rétablir de bonnes relations
to mend fences with sb → se réconcilier avec qn
to sit on the fence (= avoid committing o.s.) → ménager la chèvre et le chou
to mend fences (= improve relations) → rétablir de bonnes relations
to mend fences with sb → se réconcilier avec qn
(on race course) → obstacle m
(= person) → receleur/euse m/f
vt [+ garden, area] → clôturer
vi (SPORT) → faire de l'escrime
fence in
vt sepCollins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
fence
n
→ Zaun m; (Sport) → Hindernis nt; to sit on the fence (fig: = be neutral) → neutral bleiben, nicht Partei ergreifen; (= be irresolute) → unschlüssig sein, zaudern; on the wrong/other side of the fence (fig) → auf der verkehrten/anderen Seite; to mend fences (fig) → die Dinge bereinigen
(inf: = receiver of stolen goods) → Hehler(in) m(f)
(Tech) → Anschlag m
vt
(Sport) → fechten gegen
(inf) → hehlen; until we find somebody to fence stolen cars … → bis wir einen Hehler für gestohlene Autos finden …
vi
(Sport) → fechten
(fig) → ausweichen; to fence with somebody → sich (dat) → mit jdm ein Wortgefecht liefern; (evading questions) → jdm ausweichen
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
fence
[fɛns]1. n
b. (fam) (receiver of stolen goods) → ricettatore/trice
2. vt → recintare
3. vi (Sport) → tirare di scherma
fence in vt + adv
b. (fig) to feel fenced in → sentirsi imprigionato/a
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
fence1
(fens) noun a line of wooden or metal posts joined by wood, wire etc to stop people, animals etc moving on to or off a piece of land. The garden was surrounded by a wooden fence.
verb to enclose (an area of land) with a fence eg to prevent people, animals etc from getting in. We fenced off the field.
ˈfencing noun (the material used for) a fence. a hundred metres of fencing.
fence2
(fens) verb1. to fight with (blunted) swords as a sport.
2. to avoid answering questions. He fenced with me for half an hour before I got the truth.
ˈfencing noun the sport of fighting with (blunted) swords. I used to be very good at fencing.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
fence
→ سِياج plot hegn Zaun φράκτης valla aita palissade ograda staccionata 柵 울타리 hek gjerde ogrodzenie cerca забор staket รั้ว çit hàng rào 栅栏Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009