fence — a barrier made of wood, wire, or other material that encloses an area of ground
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a barrier made of wood, wire, or other material that encloses an area of ground
Pronunciation (IPA): /fens/
Example Sentences
- My neighbor's cat keeps sneaking through our fence to steal our fish.
- The politician refused to take a clear position, sitting on the fence as usual.
- After the argument, they decided to mend fences and become friends again.
fence
NOUN[/fens/]
a barrier made of wood, wire, or other material that encloses an area of ground
Fence creates a boundary barrier
Beyond the fence lies fog so dense, we must rely on every sense!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word 'fence' derives from Middle English 'fens', which developed as a shortened form of Old French 'defense' (meaning defense or protection). Originally denoting the act of defending, the term gradually shifted to refer to the physical structure erected for protection—a barrier or enclosure.
Breakdown
defense (Old French: defense, protection) → fens (Middle English shortened form) → fence (the structure itself). The semantic shift reflects the metonymic evolution from an abstract action (defending) to its concrete manifestation (a defensive barrier).
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My neighbor's cat keeps sneaking through our fence to steal our fish.”
“The politician refused to take a clear position, sitting on the fence as usual.”
“After the argument, they decided to mend fences and become friends again.”
“The sheep escaped because someone forgot to fix the broken fence.”
📚Related Words
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