Virginia fence
- noun
- US
:
valla de Virginia
- They built a Virginia fence to mark the boundary of the property without using nails or posts.
Examples
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The zigzag pattern of a Virginia fence makes it stable even on uneven ground.
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We installed a Virginia fence to mark our garden.
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The old farmhouse was surrounded by a Virginia fence that had stood for generations.
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The Virginia fence around the property adds charm.
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The rustic property features a beautiful Virginia fence that enhances its countryside appeal.
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Crafted from old wood, the Virginia fence zigzags gracefully along the rolling hills.
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To keep the animals contained, they put up a sturdy Virginia fence that required no posts.
Synonyms
1
4.3
A fence made of long wooden rails laid in a zigzag to keep animals in
1
4.8
A fence made from split logs stacked horizontally in a zigzag
A fence made of wooden rails laid in a zigzag pattern
A low wooden fence made of rails in a zigzag that marks a border
A low wooden rail barrier that forms a zigzag pattern to mark or enclose land
Surface Forms
Morphology
A B1 learner who knows 'Virginia' and 'fence' will readily infer this refers to a fence associated with Virginia (i.e., a type or fence found there), so the basic reference is compositional. However, the specific sense—a traditional zigzag/split-rail construction without posts—is a regionally lexicalized design not predictable from the constituents alone and requires cultural or prior exposure.
Etymology
The name Virginia fence may come from early Virginia farms where people stacked long wooden rails in a zigzag pattern. These zigzag rails could stand 'without posts' and made a strong border, so today Virginia fence means that kind of wooden fence used to 'mark a boundary' or for decoration.