fence

S2 W2

BrE /fens/ AmE /fens/

noun / verb en → es

1 BOUNDARY [noun] A2

a structure made of wood, metal, or wire that is used to surround an area of land and prevent people or animals from entering or leaving it

valla, cerca, muro

Collocations fence around a garden · a high fence

  • They put up a fence to keep the dogs in.

    Colocaron una cerca para mantener a los perros dentro.

2 SPORT [noun] B1

a sport in which two people fight with long sticks that have hooks on the end, trying to hit each other's body or head while wearing protective clothing

esgrima

Collocations fencing competition · a fencing match

  • She won the gold medal in fencing.

    Ella ganó la medalla de oro en esgrima.

3 DEFEND [transitive] B1

to protect or defend something, especially by using a fence or other barrier

defender, proteger con una cerca

  • fence off sth
  • We need to fence off the garden from rabbits.

    Necesitamos proteger el jardín de las liebres con una cerca.

4 DISCUSS [transitive] B2

to discuss or argue about something, often in a formal way

discutir, debatir

  • fence over sth
  • They fenced over the issue of immigration.

    Discutieron formalmente sobre el tema de la inmigración.

5 VERB [transitive] C1

to move or go around something, especially to avoid it

darse la vuelta a algo, rodear

  • fence round sth
  • He fenced around the question of his future plans.

    Se dio la vuelta a la pregunta sobre sus planes futuros.

Phrasal verbs

fence in ENCLOSE B1

encerrar, rodear con una cerca

  • The children were fenced in by the high fence.

    Los niños estaban encerrados por la alta cerca.

fence off PROTECT B1

proteger con una cerca, aislar

  • They fenced off the area to keep people away.

    Aislarón el área para mantener a las personas alejadas.

fence up BUILD B2

construir una cerca alrededor de algo

  • They fenced up the garden to keep out intruders.

    Construyeron una cerca alrededor del jardín para mantener a los intrusos fuera.

fence with ARGUE B2

discutir con alguien, debatir con

  • They fenced with each other over the issue of taxes.

    Discutieron entre sí sobre el tema de los impuestos.

fence round AVOID C1

darse la vuelta a algo, rodear para evitar

  • He fenced round the question of his future plans.

    Se dio la vuelta a la pregunta sobre sus planes futuros.

Idioms

fence both ways C1

no tomar partido, no comprometerse

  • He fences both ways on the issue of immigration.

    No se compromete en el tema de la inmigración.

fence sit C1

no tomar partido, no comprometerse

  • He's sitting on the fence about whether to go or not.

    No se compromete sobre si ir o no.

fence with words C1

discutir con palabras, debatir sin llegar a un acuerdo

  • They fenced with words for hours.

    Discutieron durante horas sin llegar a un acuerdo.