Fence

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Fence, n. [Abbrev. from defence.].

•  That which fends off attack or danger; a defense; a protection; a cover; security; shield.  [1913 Webster]

  "Let us be backed with God and with the seas,
  Which he hath given for fence impregnable."  [1913 Webster]

  "A fence betwixt us and the victor's wrath."  [1913 Webster]
•  An inclosure about a field or other space, or about any object; especially, an inclosing structure of wood, iron, or other material, intended to prevent intrusion from without or straying from within.  [1913 Webster]

  " In England a hedge, ditch, or wall, as well as a structure of boards, palings, or rails, is called a fence."  [1913 Webster]

  "Leaps o'er the fence with ease into the fold."  [1913 Webster]
•  A projection on the bolt, which passes through the tumbler gates in locking and unlocking.  [1913 Webster]
•  Self-defense by the use of the sword; the art and practice of fencing and sword play; hence, skill in debate and repartee. See Fencing.  [1913 Webster]

  "Enjoy your dear wit, and gay rhetoric,
  That hath so well been taught her dazzing fence."  [1913 Webster]

  "Of dauntless courage and consummate skill in fence."  [1913 Webster]
•  A receiver of stolen goods, or a place where they are received.  Mayhew.  [1913 Webster]

Fence month (Forest Law), the month in which female deer are fawning, when hunting is prohibited. Bullokar. -- Fence roof, a covering for defense. “They fitted their shields close to one another in manner of a fence roof.” Holland. -- Fence time, the breeding time of fish or game, when they should not be killed. -- Rail fence, a fence made of rails, sometimes supported by posts. -- Ring fence, a fence which encircles a large area, or a whole estate, within one inclosure. -- Worm fence, a zigzag fence composed of rails crossing one another at their ends; -- called also snake fence, or Virginia rail fence. -- To be on the fence, to be undecided or uncommitted in respect to two opposing parties or policies. [Colloq.]

Fence, v. t. 

•  To fend off danger from; to give security to; to protect; to guard.  [1913 Webster]

  "To fence my ear against thy sorceries."  [1913 Webster]
•  To inclose with a fence or other protection; to secure by an inclosure.  [1913 Webster]

  "O thou wall! . . . dive in the earth,
  And fence not Athens."  [1913 Webster]

  "A sheepcote fenced about with olive trees."  [1913 Webster]

To fence the tables (Scot. Church), to make a solemn address to those who present themselves to commune at the Lord's supper, on the feelings appropriate to the service, in order to hinder, so far as possible, those who are unworthy from approaching the table. McCheyne.

Fence, v. i. 

•  To make a defense; to guard one's self of anything, as against an attack; to give protection or security, as by a fence.  [1913 Webster]

  "Vice is the more stubborn as well as the more dangerous evil, and therefore, in the first place, to be fenced against."  [1913 Webster]
•  To practice the art of attack and defense with the sword or with the foil, esp. with the smallsword, using the point only.  [1913 Webster]

  "He will fence with his own shadow."  [1913 Webster]
•  Hence, to fight or dispute in the manner of fencers, that is, by thrusting, guarding, parrying, etc.  [1913 Webster]

  "They fence and push, and, pushing, loudly roar;
  Their dewlaps and their sides are bat"  [1913 Webster]

  "As when a billow, blown against,
  Falls back, the voice with which I fenced
  A little ceased, but recommenced."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Fence, n. & v.
--n.
1 a barrier or railing or other upright structure enclosing an area of ground, esp. to prevent or control access.
2 a large upright obstacle in steeplechasing or showjumping.
3 sl. a receiver of stolen goods.
4 a guard or guide in machinery.
--v.
1 tr. surround with or as with a fence.
2 tr. a (foll. by in, off) enclose or separate with or as with a fence. b (foll. by up) seal with or as with a fence.
3 tr. (foll. by from, against) screen, shield, protect.
4 tr. (foll. by out) exclude with or as with a fence; keep out.
5 tr. (also absol.) sl. deal in (stolen goods).
6 intr. practise the sport of fencing; use a sword.
7 intr. (foll. by with) evade answering (a person or question).
8 intr. (of a horse etc.) leap fences.

Idiom

sit on the fence remain neutral or undecided in a dispute etc.

Derivative

fenceless adj. fencer n.

Etymology

ME f. DEFENCE

THESAURUS

Fence

abatis, about the bush, advanced work, arch dam, arm, armor, armor-plate, around the bush, avoid, backstop, baffle, balistraria, balustrade, bamboo curtain, bank, banquette, bar, barbed wire, barbed-wire entanglement, barbican, barrage, barricade, barrier, bartizan, bastion, battle, battlement, bear-trap dam, beat about, beat around, beaver dam, beg the question, bicker, black-market, black-marketeer, bless, block, blockade, boggle, boom, bootleg, bound, boundary, box, brawl, breakwater, breastwork, brick wall, broil, buffer, bulkhead, bulkhead in, bulwark, cage, casemate, castellate, cavil, center, champion, cheval-de-frise, choplogic, circumscribe, circumvallation, clash, cloak, close, cofferdam, collide, combat, come to blows, compass about, compromise, confine, contend, contest, contravallation, coop, copyright, corral, counterscarp, cover, crenellate, curtain, cushion, cut and thrust, dam, defend, defense, demibastion, dig in, dike, ditch, dodge, drawbridge, duck, duel, earthwork, embankment, embattle, encircle, enclose, enclosure, ensure, entanglement, entrench, equivocate, escarp, escarpment, evade, evade the issue, exchange blows, feint, fences, fend, fend off, feud, fieldwork, fight, fight a duel, foil, fortalice, fortification, fortify, garrison, gate, give and take, give satisfaction, glacis, golden mean, grapple, grapple with, gravity dam, groin, guarantee, guard, half measures, half-and-half measures, halfway measures, happy medium, harbor, haven, hedge, hedgerow, hem, hem and haw, hoarding, hydraulic-fill dam, immure, impartial, indecisive, independent, insure, iron curtain, irresolute, jam, jetty, jostle, joust, keep, keep from harm, leaping weir, levee, logjam, loophole, lunette, machicolation, make safe, man, man the garrison, maneuver, mantelet, mean, medium, merlon, mew, middle course, middle ground, middle way, milldam, mine, mix it up, moat, moderantism, moderate position, moderateness, moderation, moderatism, mole, moonshine, mound, mystify, nestle, neutral, neutral ground, nitpick, obscure, on the fence, outwit, outwork, pale, paling, palisade, palter, parados, parapet, parry, patent, pen, pick nits, picket, police, portcullis, postern gate, prevaricate, protect, pull away, pull back, push, pussyfoot, put off, qualify, quarrel, quibble, rail, railing, rampart, rassle, ravelin, receiver, recoil, redan, redoubt, register, restrict, retaining wall, ride shotgun for, riot, roadblock, rock-fill dam, run a tilt, safeguard, sally port, scarp, sconce, scramble, screen, scuffle, seawall, secure, separate, sheer off, shelter, shield, shift, shift off, shilly-shally, shirk, shove, shrink, shroud, shuffle, shutter dam, shy, shy away, shy off, sidestep, skirmish, spar, split hairs, step aside, stockade, stone wall, stonewall, stop, strive, struggle, surround, swagman, swagsman, swerve, tenaille, tergiversate, third force, thrust and parry, tilt, tourney, trellis, tussle, unbiased, uncertain, uncommitted, undecided, underwrite, unprejudiced, vacillate, vacillating, vallation, vallum, via media, waffle, wage war, wall, war, ward off, weir, wicket dam, work, wrestle, zigzag fence

ROGET THESAURUS

Fence

Defense

N defense, protection, guard, ward, shielding, propugnation, preservation, guardianship, area defense, site defense, self-defense, self-preservation, resistance, safeguard, balistraria, bunker, screen, camouflage, fortification, munition, muniment, trench, foxhole, bulwark, fosse, moat, ditch, entrenchment, intrenchment, kila, dike, dyke, parapet, sunk fence, embankment, mound, mole, bank, sandbag, revetment, earth work, field- work, fence, wall dead wall, contravallation, paling, palisade, haha, stockade, stoccado, laager, sangar, barrier, barricade, boom, portcullis, chevaux de frise, abatis, abattis, abbatis, vallum, circumvallation, battlement, rampart, scarp, escarp, counter-scarp, glacis, casemate, vallation, vanfos, buttress, abutment, shore, breastwork, banquette, curtain, mantlet, bastion, redan, ravelin, vauntmure, advance work, horn work, outwork, barbacan, barbican, redoubt, fort-elage, fort-alice, lines, loophole, machicolation, sally port, hold, stronghold, fastness, asylum, keep, donjon, dungeon, fortress, citadel, capitol, castle, tower of strength, tower of strength, fort, barracoon, pah, sconce, martello tower, peelhouse, blockhouse, rath, wooden walls, bulletproof vest, armored vest, buffer, corner stone, fender, apron, mask, gauntlet, thimble, carapace, armor, shield, buckler, aegis, breastplate, backplate, cowcatcher, face guard, scutum, cuirass, habergeon, mail, coat of mail, brigandine, hauberk, lorication, helmet, helm, bassinet, salade, heaume, morion, murrion, armet, cabaset, vizor, casquetel, siege cap, headpiece, casque, pickelhaube, vambrace, shako, bearskin, panoply, truncheon, garrison, picket, piquet, defender, protector, guardian, bodyguard, champion, knight-errant, Paladin, propugner, bulletproof window, hardened site, defending, defensive, mural, armed, armed at all points, armed cap-a-pie, armed to the teeth, panoplied, iron-plated, ironclad, loopholed, castellated, machicolated, casemated, defended, proof against, armored, ballproof, bulletproof, hardened, defensively, on the defense, on the defensive, in defense, at bay, pro aris et focis, Int, no surrender!, defense not defiance, Dieu defend le droit, fidei defensor, defender of the faith.

VB defend, forfend, fend, shield, screen, shroud, engarrison, fend round, fence, entrench, intrench, guard, guard against, take care of, bear harmless, fend off, keep off, ward off, beat off, beat back, hinder, parry, repel, propugn, put to flight, give a warm reception to, hold at bay, keep at bay, keep arm's length, stand on the defensive, act on the defensive, show fight, maintain one's ground, stand one's ground, stand by, hold one's own, bear the brunt, stand the brunt, fall back upon, hold, stand in the gap.

Contention

VB contend, contest, strive, struggle, scramble, wrestle, spar, square, exchange blows, exchange fisticuffs, fib, justle, tussle, tilt, box, stave, fence, skirmish, pickeer, fight, wrangle, contend with, grapple with, engage with, close with, buckle with, bandy with, try conclusions with, have a brush, with, tilt with, encounter, fall foul of, pitch into, clapperclaw, run a tilt at, oppose, reluct, join issue, come to blows, go to loggerheads, set to, come to the scratch, exchange shots, measure swords, meet hand to hand, take up the cudgels, take up the glove, take up the gauntlet, enter the lists, couch one's lance, give satisfaction, appeal to arms, lay about one, break the peace, compete with, cope with, vie with, race with, outvie, emulate, rival, run a race, contend for, stipulate for, stickle for, insist upon, make a point of.

Prison

N prison, prison house, jail, gaol, cage, coop, den, cell, stronghold, fortress, keep, donjon, dungeon, Bastille, oubliette, bridewell, house of correction, hulks, tollbooth, panopticon, penitentiary, guardroom, lockup, hold, round house, watch house, station house, sponging house, station, house of detention, black hole, pen, fold, pound, inclosure, isolation (exclusion), penal settlement, penal colony, bilboes, stocks, limbo, quod, calaboose, chauki, choky, thana, workhouse, Newgate, Fleet, Marshalsea, King's Bench, Queen's Bench, bond, bandage, irons, pinion, gyve, fetter, shackle, trammel, manacle, handcuff, straight jacket, strait jacket, strait-jacket, strait-waistcoat, hopples, vice, vise, yoke, collar, halter, harness, muzzle, gag, bit, brake, curb, snaffle, bridle, rein, reins, bearing rein, martingale, leading string, tether, picket, band, guy, chain, cord, cavesson, hackamore, headstall, jaquima, lines, ribbons, bolt, deadbolt, bar, lock, police lock, combination lock, padlock, rail, wall, stone wall, paling, palisade, fence, picket fence, barbed wire fence, Cyclone fence, stockade fence, chain-link fence, barrier, barricade, drag.

Stealing

VB steal, thieve, rob, mug, purloin, pilfer, filch, prig, bag, nim, crib, cabbage, palm, abstract, appropriate, plagiarize, convey away, carry off, abduct, kidnap, crimp, make off with, walk off with, run off with, run away with, spirit away, seize, plunder, pillage, rifle, sack, loot, ransack, spoil, spoliate, despoil, strip, sweep, gut, forage, levy blackmail, pirate, pickeer, maraud, lift cattle, poach, smuggle, run, badger, bail up, hold up, stick up, bunco, bunko, filibuster, swindle, peculate, embezzle, sponge, mulct, rook, bilk, pluck, pigeon, fleece, defraud, obtain under false pretenses, live by one's wits, rob Peter to pay Paul, borrow of Peter to pay Paul, set a thief to catch a thief, disregard the distinction between meum and tuum, fence, launder, launder money.

Thief

N thief, robber, homo triumliterarum, pilferer, rifler, filcher, plagiarist, spoiler, depredator, pillager, marauder, harpy, shark, land shark, falcon, mosstrooper, bushranger, Bedouin, brigand, freebooter, bandit, thug, dacoit, pirate, corsair, viking, Paul Jones, buccaneer, buccanier, piqueerer, pickeerer, rover, ranger, privateer, filibuster, rapparee, wrecker, picaroon, smuggler, poacher, abductor, badger, bunko man, cattle thief, chor, contrabandist, crook, hawk, holdup man, hold-up, jackleg, kidnaper, rustler, cattle rustler, sandbagger, sea king, skin, sneak thief, spieler, strong-arm man, highwayman, Dick Turpin, Claude Duval, Macheath, footpad, sturdy beggar, cut purse, pick purse, pickpocket, light-fingered gentry, sharper, card sharper, skittle sharper, thimblerigger, rook, Greek, blackleg, leg, welsher, defaulter, Autolycus, Jeremy Diddler, Robert Macaire, artful dodger, trickster, swell mob, chevalier d'industrie, shoplifter, swindler, peculator, forger, coiner, fence, receiver of stolen goods, duffer, smasher, burglar, housebreaker, cracksman, magsman, Bill Sikes, Jack Sheppard, Jonathan Wild, gang, gang of thieves, theft ring, organized crime, mafia, the Sicilian Mafia, the mob, la cosa nostra, Dillinger, Al Capone, Robin Hood.

Inclosure

N inclosure, envelope, case, wrapper, girdle, pen, fold, pen fold, in fold, sheep fold, paddock, pound, corral, yard, net, seine net, wall, hedge, hedge row, espalier, fence, pale, paling, balustrade, rail, railing, quickset hedge, park paling, circumvallation, enceinte, ring fence, barrier, barricade, gate, gateway, bent, dingle, door, hatch, cordon, prison, dike, dyke, ditch, fosse, moat.

Falsehood

VB be false, be a liar, speak falsely, tell a lie, lie, fib, lie like a trooper, swear false, forswear, perjure oneself, bear false witness, misstate, misquote, miscite, misreport, misrepresent, belie, falsify, pervert, distort, put a false construction upon (misinterpret), prevaricate, equivocate, quibble, palter, palter to the understanding, repondre en Normand, trim, shuffle, fence, mince the truth, beat about the bush, blow hot and cold, play fast and loose, garble, gloss over, disguise, give a color to, give a gloss, put a gloss, put false coloring upon, color, varnish, cook, dress up, embroider, varnish right and puzzle wrong, exaggerate, blague, invent, fabricate, trump up, get up, force, fake, hatch, concoct, romance, cry 'wolf!', dissemble, dissimulate, feign, assume, put on, pretend, make believe, play possum, play false, play a double game, coquet, act a part, play a part, affect, simulate, pass off for, counterfeit, sham, make a show of, malinger, say the grapes are sour, cant, play the hypocrite, sham Abraham, faire pattes de velours, put on the mask, clean the outside of the platter, lie like a conjuror, hand out false colors, hold out false colors, sail under false colors, commend the poisoned chalice to the lips, ambiguas in vulgum spargere voces, deceive.