fence

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
fence/fens/

▶noun

• 1 a barrier enclosing an area, typically consisting of posts connected by wire, wood, etc.

  ■ a large upright obstacle in steeplechasing, showjumping, or cross-country.

• 2 a guard or guide on a plane or other tool.

• 3 informal a dealer in stolen goods.

▶verb

• 1 surround or protect with a fence.

  ■ (fence something in/off) enclose or separate an area with a fence.

• 2 informal deal in (stolen goods).

• 3 practise the sport of fencing.

  ■ conduct a discussion or argument in an evasive way.

– phrases
over the fence Austral./NZ informal unreasonable or unacceptable.
sit on the fence avoid making a decision.

– derivatives
fenceless adjective,
fencer noun.

– origin ME (in the sense ‘defence’): shortening of defence; cf. fencible and fend.