fence
/fɛns/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: 4.21 in modern English
10
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
1
Syllables
4
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A thin artificial barrier that separates two pieces of land or forms a perimeter enclosing the lands of a house, building, etc.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
Someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods, a criminal middleman for transactions of stolen goods.
Countable; Informal; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "There was a weak place in the fence separating the two inclosures"
- "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."
- "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."
- "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."
- "I bruised my shin th' other day with playing at sword and dagger with a master of fence"
- "I was in your arms Thinking I belonged there I figured it made sense Building me a fence"
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).
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: *gʷʰen-, fence, defens