Fence
/fɛns/
nounverbA2
Definition
A fence is a line of posts and boards or wire that goes around a place like a garden or yard. It keeps animals or people in or out and shows where the land ends. As a verb, "to fence" can mean to build a fence or to fight using swords in a sport.
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See It in Action
A structure around an area to protect or mark it
- •We put a fence around the garden to keep rabbits out.
- •The children played near the wooden fence.
- •The farm has a tall fence to keep cows inside.
The action of building or putting up a fence
- •They fenced the backyard last summer.
- •We need to fence the new playground for safety.
To fight with swords as a sport (less common)
- •He learned how to fence in a sports class.
- •They watched a fencing match on TV.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "fence" like "wall," but a fence is usually open and made of wood or wire, not solid like a wall.
- ✓Picture a garden with wooden sticks and wire around it to keep your dog inside.
- ✓It's the feeling of safety when you see a fence around your home.
- ✓Sounds like "fence" → imagine a "fence" stopping a "dense" crowd from coming in.
- ✓In stories, fences often show borders between neighbors or protect farms.
- ✓NOT like "wall" (solid and tall), a fence is lighter and often see-through.
- ✓NOT like "gate" (a door in a fence), a fence is the whole line around an area.
- ✓As a verb, "to fence" (build) means putting up this structure, different from "to fence" (fight), which is a sport with swords.
Try Other Words
- •Barrier: something that blocks or limits (Use when talking about any kind of obstacle or limit, not just a physical fence)
- •Enclosure: an area surrounded by a fence or wall (Use when focusing on the space inside the fence)
- •Hedge: a row of bushes used as a fence (Use when the boundary is natural, made of plants)
- •Build a fence: to put up a fence (Use when describing the action of creating a fence)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: (No prefix or suffix; "fence" is a simple root word)
- •Etymology: From Old French "fens" meaning a fence or enclosure, from Latin "defensa" meaning defense or protection
- •Historical development: Originally meant a protective barrier to keep things safe or separate
- •Modern usage: Used for physical barriers around land, and as a verb meaning to build such barriers or to practice sword fighting
Reflect & Connect
•How does having a fence change the feeling of safety or privacy around a home?
•Can a "fence" be invisible or symbolic, like a rule or boundary between people?
Fill in the blanks
1.We put a fence around the garden to ___ the plants from animals.
2.The fence was made of wood and wire to ___ the yard clearly.
3.When neighbors argue, sometimes they talk about the ___ between their properties.
4.He learned to fence in school, which means to ___ with swords.
5.To keep the dog from running away, they decided to ___ the backyard.
6.A fence is not as strong as a wall, but it still ___ the area.
7.The children played near the fence, but they did not ___ it.