fencing
- 01 B1 Intermediate
a sport where two people fight each other with long, thin swords.
the combat sport of duelling with light swords, such as the foil, épée, or sabre, where points are scored through contact.
Simple“She joined the fencing club at her university to improve her coordination.”
In context“The Olympic fencing final was a display of incredible speed and precision, with both athletes demonstrating mastery of the foil.”
Synonymsswordplay - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
the materials, like wood or wire, used to build a fence around an area.
the collective material or structure used to form a boundary or enclosure.
Simple“The farmer bought new wire fencing to keep the sheep in the field.”
In context“The contractor recommended high-grade steel fencing to secure the perimeter of the industrial site against intruders.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
the illegal business of buying and selling stolen things.
the criminal activity of receiving and selling stolen property.
Simple“The police arrested him for fencing stolen jewelry out of his back office.”
In context“The investigation revealed a sophisticated fencing operation that moved stolen electronics across state lines within hours of the thefts.”
Synonyms
“Among them were painter Leonor Fini and Olympic fencing champion Irene Camber.”
“Thallon said children from nearby primary schools had designed signage for the fencing around the area, featuring "animals they would like to see in the Bog Hall Habitat Bank project in the future".”
From Middle English fensing, equivalent to fence + -ing.
From fence + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.