homely as a hedge fence
Having no physically attractive characteristics, but not blatantly ugly; very plain in appearance.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“That old wooden chair is as homely as a hedge fence.”
“The house was as homely as a hedge fence, but it felt warm and welcoming to everyone who visited.”
“While the village church was as homely as a hedge fence, its simple stone walls held centuries of quiet history.”
- 01
fence in
To restrict freedom.
- 02
fence the tables
To make a solemn address to those who present themselves to commune at the Lord's Supper, on the feelings appropriate to the service, in order to hinder, so far as possible, those who are unworthy from approaching the table.
- 03
hedge one's bets
To reduce the risk of making a mistake by keeping one's options open.
- 04
make a Virginia fence
To walk in a unstable manner due to being intoxicated.
- 05
mend fences
To repair damage to a friendship or relationship after a disagreement or other mishap.
- 06
mud fence
Something proverbially unattractive or ugly.
- 07
sit on the fence
To remain neutral on a certain topic, to not have a stance or opinion.
- 08
swing for the fences
To do something extremely ambitious, especially rashly.
Last updated August 10, 2026