<p><strong>Noun</strong></p><ul><li>a barrier enclosing or bordering a field, yard, etc., usually made of vertical posts connected with horizontal sections of sturdy material or materials, as wood, metal, vinyl, or wire, used to prevent entrance, to confine, or to mark a boundary: Our garden fence is not high enough to keep the deer out.</li><li>Informal: a person who receives and disposes of stolen goods.</li><li>the place of business of such a person.</li><li>the act, practice, art, or sport of fencing.</li><li>skill in argument, repartee, etc.</li><li>Machinery: a guard or guide, as for regulating the movements of a tool or work.</li><li>Carpentry: a slotted guide used especially with a framing square to lay out cuts on rafters and staircase strings.</li><li>Archaic: a means of defense; a bulwark.</li></ul><p><strong>Verb</strong></p><ul><li>(used with object) fenced, fenc·ing: to enclose by some barrier, establishing exclusive right to possession: to fence a farm.</li><li>to separate by or as by a fence or fences (often followed by in, off, out, etc.): to fence off a corner of one's yard; to fence out unwholesome influences.</li><li>to defend; protect; guard: The president was fenced by bodyguards wherever he went.</li><li>to ward off; keep out.</li><li>Informal: to sell (stolen goods) to a fence.</li><li>Nautical: to reinforce (an opening in a sail or the like) by sewing on a grommet or other device.</li></ul><p><strong>Verb</strong></p><ul><li>(used without object) fenced, fenc·ing: to practice the art or sport of fencing.</li><li>to parry arguments; strive to avoid giving direct answers; hedge: The mayor fenced when asked if he would run again.</li><li>(of a horse) to leap over a fence.</li><li>Obsolete: to raise a defense.</li></ul>