to fence
- verb
- /fɛns/
- Tomorrow, we fence!
- learn to fence
- fence well
- continue to fence
I'd wear a, you know what people wear when they're fencing?
- I'd wear a, you know what people wear when they're fencing?
- Instead of fencing, I wanted to become a peacemaker in primary school.
Examples
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I used to fence a bit, but I never had natural talent.
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Will you teach me to fence and to fight?
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You teach me to fence, and I teach you to act.
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Learning to fence was a highlight of this past year, and I took the summer off.
Blog text (21) -
My oldest son is 11 now and I'm starting to teach him how to fence.
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They both fence at the national level.
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I just fenced for fun, at practice, and would compete once or twice a year.
Blog text (20) -
Yes, I can fence.
-
You fence!
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I have decided to fence in the local competition this weekend.
Idioms
Phrasal Verbs
To make a barrier of wood, metal, or wire around land to keep animals and people out
Compounds
A row of upright wooden or metal boards with spaces that mark the edge of a yard
A wire fence with diamond-shaped holes used to surround yards or sports fields
- Specialized
A small active lizard from eastern North America that often sits in the sun on fences or rocks
- US
A small animal with scaly skin and a long tail that sits on fences or rocks in the US
- Specialized
A machine that sends electricity through a fence to shock animals or people who touch it
- Specialized
A machine that sends electricity along a fence so it gives animals a small shock
- UK
A ditch with one side formed by a low wall that divides land without blocking the view
- Specialized
A common scaly reptile in western North America that basks on rocks and logs
Surface Forms
Etymology
Fence meaning 'to fight with swords' is also linked to defend, because the sport is about attacking and 'defending' with a blade. That's why to fence is to practise swordplay where defence is as important as attack.