a barrier enclosing or bordering a field, yard, etc., usually made of posts and wire or wood, used to prevent entrance, to confine, or to mark a boundary.
2.
Informal. a person who receives and disposes of stolen goods.
3.
the place of business of such a person.
4.
the act, practice, art, or sport of fencing.
5.
skill in argument, repartee, etc.
6.
Machinery. a guard or guide, as for regulating the movements of a tool or work.
7.
Carpentry. a slotted guide used esp. with a framing square to lay out cuts on rafters and staircase strings.
8.
Archaic. a means of defense; a bulwark.
–verb (used with object)
9.
to enclose by some barrier, establishing exclusive right to possession: to fence a farm.
10.
to separate by or as by a fence or fences (often fol. by in, off, out, etc.): to fence off a corner of one's yard; to fence out unwholesome influences.
11.
to defend; protect; guard: The president was fenced by bodyguards wherever he went.
12.
to ward off; keep out.
13.
Informal. to sell (stolen goods) to a fence.
14.
Nautical. to reinforce (an opening in a sail or the like) by sewing on a grommet or other device.
–verb (used without object)
15.
to practice the art or sport of fencing.
16.
to parry arguments; strive to avoid giving direct answers; hedge: The mayor fenced when asked if he would run again.
17.
(of a horse) to leap over a fence.
18.
Obsolete. to raise a defense.
—Idioms
19.
mend one's fences, to strengthen or reestablish one's position by conciliation or negotiation: One could tell by his superficially deferential manner that he was trying to mend his fences.
20.
on the fence, uncommitted; neutral; undecided: The party leaders are still on the fence.
[Origin: 1300–50; ME fens, aph. for defensdefense]
c.1330, shortening of defens (see defense). Spelling alternated between -c- and -s- in M.E. Sense of "enclosure" is first recorded 1512. Fencible (c.1325) means "capable of making a defense." Sense of "dealer in stolen goods" is thieves' slang, first attested c.1700, from notion of such transactions taking place under defense of secrecy. To be figuratively on the fence "uncommitted" is from 1828, from the notion of spectators at a fight.
"fight with swords," 1598, first recorded in "Merry Wives of Windsor"; from the noun in this sense (1533), see fence (n.). Fencing is from 1581. In spite of the re-enactment in 1285 of the Assize of Arms of 1181, fencing was regarded as unlawful in England. The keeping of fencing schools was forbidden in the City of London, "as fools who delight in mischief do learn to fence with buckler, and thereby are encouraged in their follies."
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 Example: The garden was surrounded by a wooden fence.
Arabic:
سِياج
Chinese (Simplified):
栅栏；篱笆
Chinese (Traditional):
柵欄；籬笆
Czech:
plot, ohrada
Danish:
hegn; -hegn; stakit; -stakit
Dutch:
hek
Estonian:
(piirde)aed
Finnish:
aita
French:
clôture
German:
der Zaun
Greek:
φράχτης
Hungarian:
kerítés
Indonesian:
pagar
Japanese:
さく
Korean:
울타리
Latvian:
žogs
Lithuanian:
tvora
Norwegian:
gjerde
Polish:
płot
Portuguese (Brazil):
cerca
Portuguese (Portugal):
cerca
Romanian:
gard
Russian:
забор; изгородь
Slovak:
plot
Slovenian:
ograja
Spanish:
valla, cerca
Swedish:
staket, stängsel
Turkish:
çit tahta, perde, parmaklık
fence[fens]verb
to enclose (an area of land) with a fence eg to prevent people, animals etc from getting in Example: We fenced off the field.
Arabic:
يُسَيِّج، يَضَعُ سورا
Chinese (Simplified):
筑栅栏防护
Chinese (Traditional):
築柵欄防護
Czech:
oplotit, ohradit
Danish:
indhegne
Dutch:
omheinen
Estonian:
tarastama
French:
clôturer
German:
einzäunen
Greek:
περιφράζω
Hungarian:
bekerít
Indonesian:
memagari
Japanese:
囲う
Korean:
울타리를 두르다, 막다
Latvian:
iežogot
Lithuanian:
(ap)tverti
Norwegian:
gjerde inn
Polish:
ogrodzić
Portuguese (Brazil):
cercar
Portuguese (Portugal):
cercar
Romanian:
a înconjura cu un gard
Russian:
огораживать
Slovak:
ohradiť
Slovenian:
ograditi
Spanish:
cercar
Swedish:
inhängna, stängsla
Turkish:
(etrafını) çitle çevirmek
fence1[fens]verb
to fight with (blunted) swords as a sport
Arabic:
يُبارِز بالسَّيْف
Chinese (Simplified):
击剑
Chinese (Traditional):
擊劍
Czech:
šermovat
Danish:
fægte
Dutch:
schermen
Estonian:
vehklema
French:
faire de l'escrime
German:
fechten
Greek:
ξιφομαχώ
Hungarian:
vív
Icelandic:
skylmast
Indonesian:
main anggar
Japanese:
フェンシングをする
Korean:
펜싱하다
Latvian:
paukoties
Lithuanian:
fechtuotis
Norwegian:
fekte
Polish:
uprawiać szermierkę
Portuguese (Brazil):
esgrimir
Portuguese (Portugal):
esgrimir
Romanian:
a face scrimă
Russian:
фехтовать
Slovak:
šermovať
Slovenian:
mečevati se
Swedish:
fäkta
Turkish:
eskrim yapmak
fence2[fens]verb
to avoid answering questions Example: He fenced with me for half an hour before I got the truth.
Arabic:
يَتنَجَنَّب الإجابَه
Chinese (Simplified):
搪塞
Chinese (Traditional):
搪塞
Czech:
vytáčet se
Danish:
undvige
Dutch:
ontwijken
Estonian:
kemplema, põiklema
Finnish:
miekkailla
French:
se dérober
German:
ausweichen
Greek:
μασώ τα λόγια μου, αποφεύγω να απαντήσω σε ερωτήσεις
An investment position consisting of being long (or short) a stock or commodity, being long (or short) an out-of-the-money put, and being short (or long) an out-of-the-moneycall. Both options have the same expiration date.
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This Main Entry: fence Function: noun 1: a barrier intended to prevent escape or intrusion or to mark a boundary 2 a: a receiver of stolen goodsb: a place where stolen goods are bought
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This Main Entry: fence Function: noun 1: a barrier intended to prevent escape or intrusion or to mark a boundary 2 a: a receiver of stolen goodsb: a place where stolen goods are bought
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This Main Entry: fence Function: transitive verb Inflected Forms: fenced; fenc·ing 1 a: to enclose with a fence b: to keep in orout with a fence 2: to sell (stolen property) to a fence
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This Main Entry: fence Function: transitive verb Inflected Forms: fenced; fenc·ing 1 a: to enclose with a fence b: to keep in orout with a fence 2: to sell (stolen property) to a fence
fence 1. A sequence of one or more distinguished (out-of-band) characters (or other data items), used to delimit a piece of data intended to be treated as a unit (the computer-science literature calls this a "sentinel"). The NUL (ASCII 0000000) character that terminates strings in C is a fence. Hex FF is also (though slightly less frequently) used this way. See zigamorph. 2. An extra data value inserted in an array or other data structure in order to allow some normal test on the array's contents also to function as a termination test. For example, a highly optimised routine for finding a value in an array might artificially place a copy of the value to be searched for after the last slot of the array, thus allowing the main search loop to search for the value without having to check at each pass whether the end of the array had been reached. 3. [among users of optimising compilers] Any technique, usually exploiting knowledge about the compiler, that blocks certain optimisations. Used when explicit mechanisms are not available or are overkill. Typically a hack: "I call a dummy procedure there to force a flush of the optimiser's register-colouring info" can be expressed by the shorter "That's a fence procedure". [The Jargon File] (1999-01-08)
n. 1. A sequence of one or more distinguished (out-of-band) characters (or other data items), used to delimit a piece of data intended to be treated as a unit (the computer-science literature calls this a `sentinel'). The NUL (ASCII 0000000) character that terminates strings in C is a fence. Hex FF is also (though slightly less frequently) used this way. See zigamorph. 2. An extra data value inserted in an array or other data structure in order to allow some normal test on the array's contents also to function as a termination test. For example, a highly optimized routine for finding a value in an array might artificially place a copy of the value to be searched for after the last slot of the array, thus allowing the main search loop to search for the value without having to check at each pass whether the end of the array had been reached. 3. [among users of optimizing compilers] Any technique, usually exploiting knowledge about the compiler, that blocks certain optimizations. Used when explicit mechanisms are not available or are overkill. Typically a hack: "I call a dummy procedure there to force a flush of the optimizer's register-coloring info" can be expressed by the shorter "That's a fence procedure".
De*fense"\, Defence \De*fence"\, n. [F. d['e]fense, OF. defense, fem., defens, masc., fr. L. defensa (cf. LL. defensum), from defendere. See Defend, and cf. Fence.]1. The act of defending, or the state of being defended; protection, as from violence or danger. In cases of defense 't is best to weigh The enemy more mighty than he seems. --Shak. 2. That which defends or protects; anything employed to oppose attack, ward off violence or danger, or maintain security; a guard; a protection. War would arise in defense of the right. --Tennyson. God, the widow's champion and defense. --Shak. 3. Protecting plea; vindication; justification. Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defense. --Acts xxii. 1. 4. (Law) The defendant's answer or plea; an opposing or denial of the truth or validity of the plaintiff's or prosecutor's case; the method of proceeding adopted by the defendant to protect himself against the plaintiff's action. 5. Act or skill in making defense; defensive plan or policy; practice in self defense, as in fencing, boxing, etc. A man of great defense. --Spenser. By how much defense is better than no skill. --Shak. 6. Prohibition; a prohibitory ordinance. [Obs.] Severe defenses . . . against wearing any linen under a certain breadth. --Sir W. Temple.
Fence\, n. [Abbrev. from defence.]1. That which fends off attack or danger; a defense; a protection; a cover; security; shield. Let us be backed with God and with the seas, Which he hath given for fence impregnable. --Shak. A fence betwixt us and the victor's wrath. --Addison. 2. 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. Leaps o'er the fence with ease into the fold. --Milton. Note: In England a hedge, ditch, or wall, as well as a structure of boards, palings, or rails, is called a fence. 3. (Locks) A projection on the bolt, which passes through the tumbler gates in locking and unlocking. 4. 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. Enjoy your dear wit, and gay rhetoric, That hath so well been taught her dazzing fence. --Milton. Of dauntless courage and consummate skill in fence. --Macaulay. 5. A receiver of stolen goods, or a place where they are received. [Slang] --Mayhew. 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. [imp. & p. p. Fenced (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Fencing.]1. To fend off danger from; to give security to; to protect; to guard. To fence my ear against thy sorceries. --Milton. 2. To inclose with a fence or other protection; to secure by an inclosure. O thou wall! . . . dive in the earth, And fence not Athens. --Shak. A sheepcote fenced about with olive trees. --Shak. 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.
(Heb. gader), Num. 22:24 (R.V.). Fences were constructions of unmortared stones, to protect gardens, vineyards, sheepfolds, etc. From various causes they were apt to bulge out and fall (Ps. 62:3). In Ps. 80:12, R.V. (see Isa. 5:5), the psalmist says, "Why hast thou broken down her fences?" Serpents delight to lurk in the crevices of such fences (Eccl. 10:8; comp. Amos 5:19).
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Audio Help [fens] Pronunciation Key noun, verb, fenced, fenc·ing. 
