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.

Informal . a person who receives and disposes of stolen goods.

the place of business of such a person.

the act, practice, art, or sport of fencing.

skill in argument, repartee, etc.

Machinery . a guard or guide, as for regulating the movements of a tool or work.

Carpentry . a slotted guide used esp. with a framing square to lay out cuts on rafters and staircase strings.

Archaic . a means of defense; a bulwark.

to enclose by some barrier, establishing exclusive right to possession

to fence a farm.

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.

to defend; protect; guard

The president was fenced by bodyguards wherever he went.

to ward off; keep out.

Informal . to sell (stolen goods) to a fence.

Nautical . to reinforce (an opening in a sail or the like) by sewing on a grommet or other device.

to practice the art or sport of fencing.

to parry arguments; strive to avoid giving direct answers; hedge

The mayor fenced when asked if he would run again.

(of a horse) to leap over a fence.

Obsolete . to raise a defense. ?

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.

on the fence

uncommitted; neutral; undecided

The party leaders are still on the fence.

verb

release , set free , uncoop , face , meet

noun

backstop , balustrade , bar , barbed wire , barricade , block , boards , chains , cyclone , defense , dike , guard , hedge , net , paling , palisade , pickets , posts , rail , railing , rampart , roadblock , shield , stakes , stockade , stop , wall , bulwark , circumscription , corral , enclosure , hoarding , hurdle , impalement , kraal , paddock , pale , palings , perimeter , picket fence , protection , raddle , septum , windbreak

verb

bound , cage , circumscribe , confine , coop , corral , defend , encircle , fortify , girdle , guard , hedge , hem , immure , mew , mure , pen , protect , rail , restrict , secure , surround , wall , avoid , baffle , cavil , duck , equivocate , evade , feint , foil , maneuver , outwit , parry , prevaricate , quibble , shift , shirk , sidestep , stonewall * , tergiversate , shut in , shut up , partition , backstop , barricade , barrier , defense , dodge , duel , enclosure , gird , impale , palisade , picket , post , stockade