noun · verb · 23 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/fɛns/
[fɛns]
[fɛnts]
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɛns
CMU ARPABET:F EH1 N S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A thin artificial barrier that separates two pieces of land or forms a perimeter enclosing the lands of a house, building, etc.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods, a criminal middleman for transactions of stolen goods.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, informal, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: fencer
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
The place whence such a middleman operates.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: broadly, countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
Skill in oral debate.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
The art or practice of fencing.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
A guard or guide on machinery.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
A barrier, for example an emotional barrier.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, figuratively, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
A prohibition enacted to prevent violation of another more primary rule.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Jewish, countable, uncountable
Topics: law
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
noun
Meaning 9
A memory barrier.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: wall, palisade, fence in, surround
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: protect
Narrower terms: stockade, circumvallate
21
verb
Meaning 21
fight with fencing swords
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: contend, fight, struggle
Narrower terms: parry, block, deflect
22
verb
Meaning 22
enclose with a fence
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
we fenced in our yard
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: fence in
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: enclose, close in, inclose, shut in
23
verb
Meaning 23
receive stolen goods
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: receive, have
History
Etymology
From Middle English fence, fens, short for defence, defens (“the act of defending”), from Old French defens, defense (see defence). The sense "enclosure" arises in the mid 15th century. Also from the 15th century is use as a verb in the sense "to enclose with a fence". The generalized sense "to defend, screen, protect" arises ca. 1500. The sense "to fight with swords (rapiers)" is from the 1590s (Shakespeare). Displaced native Old English heġe (compare Modern English hedge).
Across languages
Translations
360 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Aari:
gurdá
— barrier
Albanian:
gardh
— barrier
Albanian:
rrethojë
— barrier
Southern Altai:
чеден
(čeden)
— barrier
Amharic:
አጥር
(ʾäṭr)
— barrier
Arabic:
سُور
(sūr)
— barrier
Arabic:
سِيَاج
(siyāj)
— barrier
Arabic:
سياج
(syāj)
— barrier
Arabic:
سُور
(sūr)
— barrier
Arabic:
جدار
(jidār)
— barrier
Aragonese:
barana
— barrier
Armenian:
ցանկապատ
(cʻankapat)
— barrier
Armenian:
չափար
(čʻapʻar)
— barrier
Assamese:
বেৰা
(bera)
— barrier
Assamese:
জেওৰা
(zeüra)
— barrier
Asturian:
barganaz
— barrier
Asturian:
corripia
— barrier
Asturian:
barganera
— barrier
Asturian:
allambráu
— barrier
Asturian:
zarru
— barrier
Asturian:
cierru
— barrier
Azerbaijani:
hasar
— barrier
Azerbaijani:
çəpər
— barrier
Azerbaijani:
barı
— barrier
Azerbaijani:
sədd
— barrier
Azerbaijani:
divar
— barrier
Bashkir:
ҡойма
(qoyma)
— barrier
Basque:
hesi
— barrier
Belarusian:
плот
(plot)
— barrier
Belarusian:
агаро́джа
(aharódža)
— barrier
Belarusian:
парка́н
(parkán)
— barrier
Belarusian:
тын
(tyn)
— barrier
Bengali:
বেড়া
(beṛa)
— barrier
Bhojpuri:
बाड़
(bāṛ)
— barrier
Central Bikol:
kudal
— barrier
Bislama:
banis
— barrier
Breton:
peulgae
— barrier
Bulgarian:
огра́да
(ográda)
— barrier
Bulgarian:
плет
(plet)
— barrier
Burmese:
စည်း
(cany:)
— barrier
Burmese:
အကာ
(a.ka)
— barrier
Burmese:
ခြံစည်းရိုး
(hkramcany:rui:)
— barrier
Catalan:
tanca
— barrier
Catalan:
barrera
— barrier
Catalan:
valla
— barrier
Cebuano:
koral
— barrier
Chechen:
керт
(kert)
— barrier
Chinese Mandarin:
籬笆 /篱笆
(líba)
— barrier
Chinese Mandarin:
柵欄 /栅栏
(zhàlan)
— barrier
Chuukese:
tit
— barrier
Cornish:
ke
— barrier
Cornish:
kloos
— barrier
Czech:
plot
— barrier
Czech:
ohrada
— barrier
Czech:
oplocení
— barrier
Danish:
hegn
— barrier
Dutch:
hek
— barrier
Dutch:
omheining
— barrier
Esperanto:
barilo
— barrier
Estonian:
tara
— barrier
Faroese:
girðing
— barrier
Finnish:
aita
— barrier
French:
clôture
— barrier
French:
cloison
— barrier
Galician:
valo
— barrier
Galician:
cerrume
— barrier
Georgian:
ღობე
(ɣobe)
— barrier
Georgian:
გალავანი
(galavani)
— barrier
German:
Zaun
— barrier
German:
Hag
— barrier
German:
Fence
— barrier
German:
Fenz
— barrier
German:
Haag
— barrier
Greek:
φράχτης
(fráchtis)
— barrier
Greek:
περίφραξη
(perífraxi)
— barrier
Greek:
μάντρα
(mántra)
— barrier
Ancient Greek:
φραγμός
(phragmós)
— barrier
Ancient Greek:
ἕρκος
(hérkos)
— barrier
Greenlandic:
ungaloq
— barrier
Hamer-Banna:
áigi
— barrier
Hamer-Banna:
agála
— barrier
Hamer-Banna:
kermí
— barrier
Hamer-Banna:
qalánsi
— barrier
Hanunoo:
alad
— barrier
Hausa:
shinge
— barrier
Hebrew:
גָדֵר
(gadér)
— barrier
Higaonon:
alad
— barrier
Hindi:
बाड़
(bāṛ)
— barrier
Hungarian:
kerítés
— barrier
Icelandic:
girðing
— barrier
Indonesian:
pagar
— barrier
Ingrian:
aita
— barrier
Irish:
fál
— barrier
Irish:
sconsa
— barrier
Irish:
claí
— barrier
Irish:
airbhe
— barrier
Italian:
recinto
— barrier
Italian:
steccato
— barrier
Italian:
palizzata
— barrier
Italian:
cinta
— barrier
Italian:
siepe
— barrier
Italian:
barriera
— barrier
Japanese:
柵
(saku)
— barrier
Japanese:
塀
(hei)
— barrier
Japanese:
囲い
(kakoi)
— barrier
Japanese:
垣根
(kakine)
— barrier
Japanese:
垣
(kaki)
— barrier
Javanese:
pager
— barrier
Kannada:
ಬೇಲಿ
(bēli)
— barrier
Kazakh:
дуал
— barrier
Kazakh:
қаша
(qaşa)
— barrier
Khmer:
ចំណារ
(cɑmnaa)
— barrier
Khmer:
រ
(rɔɔ)
— barrier
Korean:
울타리
(ultari)
— barrier
Korean:
담
(dam)
— barrier
Central Kurdish:
پەرژین
(perjîn)
— barrier
Northern Kurdish:
tan
— barrier
Northern Kurdish:
çeper
— barrier
Kyrgyz:
кашаа
(kaşaa)
— barrier
Kyrgyz:
дубал
(dubal)
— barrier
Lao:
ຮົ້ວ
(hūa)
— barrier
Latin:
saepēs
— barrier
Latvian:
žogs
— barrier
Latvian:
sēta
— barrier
Lithuanian:
tvora
— barrier
Macedonian:
о́града
(ógrada)
— barrier
Macedonian:
плет
(plet)
— barrier
Macedonian:
плот
(plot)
— barrier
Malay:
pagar
— barrier
Malayalam:
വേലി
(vēli)
— barrier
Mansaka:
arad
— barrier
Manx:
cleigh
— barrier
Māori:
takitaki
— barrier
Māori:
taiapa
— barrier
Māori:
taiepa
— barrier
Maranao:
alad
— barrier
Moksha:
перяфкс
(peräfks)
— barrier
Mongolian:
хашаа
(xašaa)
— barrier
Mongolian:
хайс
(xajs)
— barrier
Mongolian:
ᠬᠠᠰᠢᠶᠠ
(qasiy-a)
— barrier
Mongolian:
ᠬᠠᠶᠢᠰᠤ
(qayisu)
— barrier
Norman:
cllôture d'bouais
— barrier
Norman:
cliôthuthe
— barrier
Norwegian Bokmål:
gjerde
— barrier
Norwegian Nynorsk:
gjerde
— barrier
Occitan:
clausura
— barrier
Church Slavic:
плотъ
(plotŭ)
— barrier
Church Slavic:
халѫга
(xalǫga)
— barrier
Old English:
heġe
— barrier
Oromo:
dallaa
— barrier
Oromo:
kellaa
— barrier
Ossetian:
ӕмбонд
(æmbond)
— barrier
Pashto:
کټاره
(kaṭārá)
— barrier
Pennsylvania German:
Fenz
— barrier
Dari:
کَتَارَه
(katāra)
— barrier
Iranian Persian:
حِصار
(hesâr)
— barrier
Iranian Persian:
دیوار
(divâr)
— barrier
Iranian Persian:
پَرْچین
(parčin)
— barrier
Plautdietsch:
Tun
— barrier
Polish:
płot
— barrier
Polish:
ogrodzenie
— barrier
Portuguese:
cerca
— barrier
Quechua:
pirqa
— barrier
Romanian:
gard
— barrier
Romanian:
îngrăditură
— barrier
Romansh:
saiv
— barrier
Russian:
забо́р
(zabór)
— barrier
Russian:
и́згородь
(ízgorodʹ)
— barrier
Russian:
огра́да
(ográda)
— barrier
Russian:
огражде́ние
(ograždénije)
— barrier
Savosavo:
bani
— barrier
Scottish Gaelic:
callaid
— barrier
Scottish Gaelic:
feansa
— barrier
Scottish Gaelic:
bàrd
— barrier
Serbo-Croatian:
о̏града
— barrier
Serbo-Croatian:
пло̑т
— barrier
Serbo-Croatian:
ȍgrada
— barrier
Serbo-Croatian:
plȏt
— barrier
Siberian Tatar:
цитән
(citän)
— barrier
Sidamo:
huxxa
— barrier
Sinhalese:
වැට
(wæṭa)
— barrier
Slovak:
plot
— barrier
Slovak:
ohrada
— barrier
Slovak:
oplotenie
— barrier
Slovene:
ograja
— barrier
Lower Sorbian:
płot
— barrier
Upper Sorbian:
płot
— barrier
Spanish:
cerca
— barrier
Spanish:
cerramiento
— barrier
Spanish:
barda
— barrier
Spanish:
valla
— barrier
Spanish:
seto
— barrier
Spanish:
cerco
— barrier
Spanish:
cercado
— barrier
Spanish:
cercadura
— barrier
Spanish:
alambrado
— barrier
Spanish:
alambrada
— barrier
Swahili:
ua
— barrier
Swedish:
staket
— barrier
Swedish:
stängsel
— barrier
Tagalog:
bakod
— barrier
Tajik:
девор
(devor)
— barrier
Tajik:
ҳисор
(hisor)
— barrier
Tamil:
வேலி
(vēli)
— barrier
Tarifit:
afray
— barrier
Tatar:
койма
(qoyma)
— barrier
Tày:
ái
— barrier
Telugu:
కంచె
(kañce)
— barrier
Telugu:
దడి
(daḍi)
— barrier
Thai:
รั้ว
(rúua)
— barrier
Tigrinya:
ሓጹር
(ḥaṣur)
— barrier
Tok Pisin:
banis
— barrier
Turkish:
çit
— barrier
Turkish:
duvar
— barrier
Turkish:
çeper
— barrier
Ottoman Turkish:
چیت
(çit)
— barrier
Turkmen:
haýat
— barrier
Turkmen:
aýmança
— barrier
Tuvan:
кажаа
(kajaa)
— barrier
Ugaritic:
𐎂𐎄𐎗𐎚
(gdrt)
— barrier
Ukrainian:
парка́н
(parkán)
— barrier
Ukrainian:
огоро́жа
(ohoróža)
— barrier
Ukrainian:
тин
(tyn)
— barrier
Ukrainian:
пліт
(plit)
— barrier
Urdu:
باڑ
(bāṛ)
— barrier
Uyghur:
قاشا
(qasha)
— barrier
Uzbek:
devor
— barrier
Uzbek:
toʻsiq
— barrier
Vietnamese:
hàng rào
— barrier
Vilamovian:
caojn
— barrier
Walloon:
cloteure
— barrier
Walloon:
håye di ronxhes
— barrier
Welsh:
ffens
— barrier
Wolaytta:
dirssaa
— barrier
Yiddish:
פּלויט
(ployt)
— barrier
Catalan:
perista
— someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods
Danish:
hæler
— someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods
Dutch:
heler
— someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods
Esperanto:
ricelisto
— someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods
Finnish:
välittäjä
— someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods
Finnish:
luukku
— someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods
Finnish:
jobbari
— someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods
French:
recéleur
— someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods
French:
recéleuse
— someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods
French:
receleur
— someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods
French:
receleuse
— someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods
French:
fourgue
— someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods
German:
Hehler
— someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods
German:
Hehlerin
— someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods
Greek:
κλεπταποδόχος
(kleptapodóchos)
— someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods
Hungarian:
orgazda
— someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods
Indonesian:
perantara
— someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods
Italian:
ricettatore
— someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods
Manx:
kionneyder griu
— someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods
Khiamniungan Naga:
wām
— someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods
Norwegian Bokmål:
heler
— someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods
Norwegian Nynorsk:
helar
— someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods
Polish:
paser
— someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods
Portuguese:
receptador
— someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods
Romanian:
tăinuitor
— someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods
Romanian:
tăinuitoare
— someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods
Russian:
ску́пщик кра́деного
(skúpščik krádenovo)
— someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods
Russian:
бары́га
(barýga)
— someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods
Spanish:
perista
— someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods
Spanish:
reducidor
— someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods
Swahili:
ua
— someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods
Swedish:
hälare
— someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods
Welsh:
ffensiwr
— someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods
Māori:
taki
— a guard or guide on machinery
Albanian:
thur
— to enclose by building a fence
Bulgarian:
ограждам
(ograždam)
— to enclose by building a fence
Cornish:
keas
— to enclose by building a fence
Czech:
oplocovat
— to enclose by building a fence
Czech:
oplotit
— to enclose by building a fence
Czech:
ohrazovat
— to enclose by building a fence
Czech:
ohradit
— to enclose by building a fence
Finnish:
aidata
— to enclose by building a fence
French:
clôturer
— to enclose by building a fence
Galician:
cercar
— to enclose by building a fence
Galician:
choer
— to enclose by building a fence
German:
befrieden
— to enclose by building a fence
German:
einfrieden
— to enclose by building a fence
German:
einfriedigen
— to enclose by building a fence
German:
einhegen
— to enclose by building a fence
German:
einzäunen
— to enclose by building a fence
German:
umfrieden
— to enclose by building a fence
German:
umfriedigen
— to enclose by building a fence
German:
umzäunen
— to enclose by building a fence
German:
zäunen
— to enclose by building a fence
German:
einhagen
— to enclose by building a fence
German:
fenzen
— to enclose by building a fence
Greek:
περιφράσσω
(perifrásso)
— to enclose by building a fence
Greek:
φράζω
(frázo)
— to enclose by building a fence
Ancient Greek:
φράσσω
(phrássō)
— to enclose by building a fence
Hebrew:
גידר
(gidér)
— to enclose by building a fence
Hindi:
बाड़ा
(bāṛā)
— to enclose by building a fence
Ido:
fencagar
— to enclose by building a fence
Ingrian:
aijoittaa
— to enclose by building a fence
Irish:
fálaigh
— to enclose by building a fence
Italian:
recintare
— to enclose by building a fence
Macedonian:
оградува
(ograduva)
— to enclose by building a fence
Khiamniungan Naga:
wām
— to enclose by building a fence
Polish:
ogradzać
— to enclose by building a fence
Polish:
ogrodzić
— to enclose by building a fence
Portuguese:
cercar
— to enclose by building a fence
Romanian:
îngrădi
— to enclose by building a fence
Romanian:
înconjura
— to enclose by building a fence
Romanian:
împrejmui
— to enclose by building a fence
Russian:
огора́живать
(ogoráživatʹ)
— to enclose by building a fence
Russian:
огороди́ть
(ogorodítʹ)
— to enclose by building a fence
Spanish:
cercar
— to enclose by building a fence
Swahili:
ua
— to enclose by building a fence
Swedish:
inhägna
— to enclose by building a fence
Turkish:
çitlemek
— to enclose by building a fence
Ukrainian:
обгоро́джувати
(obhoródžuvaty)
— to enclose by building a fence
Ukrainian:
обгороди́ти
(obhorodýty)
— to enclose by building a fence
Ukrainian:
огоро́джувати
(ohoródžuvaty)
— to enclose by building a fence
Ukrainian:
огороди́ти
(ohorodýty)
— to enclose by building a fence
Welsh:
ffensio
— to enclose by building a fence
Finnish:
suojella
— to defend or guard
Finnish:
suojata
— to defend or guard
Dutch:
helen
— to trade with stolen goods
Esperanto:
riceli
— to trade with stolen goods
Finnish:
välittää
— to trade with stolen goods
Finnish:
luukuttaa
— to trade with stolen goods
Finnish:
trokata
— to trade with stolen goods
French:
fourguer
— to trade with stolen goods
German:
hehlen
— to trade with stolen goods
Greek:
πωλώ κλοπιμαία
(poló klopimaía)
— to trade with stolen goods
Norwegian Nynorsk:
hela
— to trade with stolen goods
Russian:
бары́жить
(barýžitʹ)
— to trade with stolen goods
Welsh:
ffensio
— to trade with stolen goods
Bulgarian:
фехтувам се
(fehtuvam se)
— to engage in (the sport) fencing
Catalan:
esgrimir
— to engage in (the sport) fencing
Cornish:
skyrmya
— to engage in (the sport) fencing
Czech:
šermovat
— to engage in (the sport) fencing
Danish:
fægte
— to engage in (the sport) fencing
Esperanto:
skermi
— to engage in (the sport) fencing
Estonian:
vehklema
— to engage in (the sport) fencing
Finnish:
miekkailla
— to engage in (the sport) fencing
Georgian:
ხმალაობა
(xmalaoba)
— to engage in (the sport) fencing
Georgian:
ფარიკაობა
(pariḳaoba)
— to engage in (the sport) fencing
German:
fechten
— to engage in (the sport) fencing
Greek:
ξιφομαχώ
(xifomachó)
— to engage in (the sport) fencing
Ido:
skermar
— to engage in (the sport) fencing
Irish:
déan pionsóireacht
— to engage in (the sport) fencing
Macedonian:
мечува
(mečuva)
— to engage in (the sport) fencing
Macedonian:
се мечува
(se mečuva)
— to engage in (the sport) fencing
Māori:
tautātete
— to engage in (the sport) fencing
Polish:
walczyć na szable
— to engage in (the sport) fencing
Polish:
walczyć na szpady
— to engage in (the sport) fencing
Portuguese:
esgrimir
— to engage in (the sport) fencing
Romanian:
scrima
— to engage in (the sport) fencing
Russian:
фехтова́ть
(fextovátʹ)
— to engage in (the sport) fencing
Slovene:
sabljati se
— to engage in (the sport) fencing
Spanish:
esgrimir
— to engage in (the sport) fencing
Swahili:
ua
— to engage in (the sport) fencing
Swedish:
fäkta
— to engage in (the sport) fencing
Welsh:
cleddyfa
— to engage in (the sport) fencing
Finnish:
ylittää este
— equestrianism: to jump over a fence