| 释义 |
fencing, vbl. n.|ˈfɛnsɪŋ|
[f. fence v. + -ing1.]
The action of the vb. fence.
1. The action or art of using the sword scientifically as a weapon of offence or defence; the practice of this art with a blunted sword, foil, or stick.
1581Mulcaster Positions xviii. (1887) 79 Concerning fensing, or skill how to handle the weapon. 1642Fuller Holy & Prof. St. iii. xiii. 185 Fencing is warre without anger. a1735Arbuthnot & Pope Martin Scrib. vii. in Pope's Wks. (1741) II. 26 These..could no more be learned alone than Fencing or Cudgel-playing. 1829Lytton Devereux i. iv, Fencing is an accomplishment in which Gerald is very nearly my equal.
fig.1608Shakes. Per. iv. vi. 62 'Pray you, without any more virginal fencing. 1687Dryden Hind. & P. ii. 33 After long fencing push'd against a wall, Your salvo comes, that he's not there at all. 1849Helps Friends in C. (1854) II. 9 There is skilful fencing even in your talk. 1876Freeman Norm. Conq. V. xxiii. 117 A piece of diplomatic fencing.
¶ In wider sense: (see quot.).
1692O. Walker Histor. Illustr. 158 Fencing, Pugilatus, was fighting with Fists.
2. The action of protecting, or of setting up a defence against (evil). † Also quasi-concr., means of defence (obs.).
1489Caxton Faytes of A. i. x. 27 In sawtyng or fensyng of a forteresse a slynge is good. a1661Fuller Worthies (1840) I. ii. 4 Providence having given men hands..all clothing and fencing is..bestowed upon him. 1668Culpepper & Cole Barthol. Anat. ii. i. 88 The more noble parts require great fencing. 1761Hume Hist. Eng. II. xxxvii. 308 The fencing against the pains and infirmities under which he laboured occupied a great part of his time.
3. The action of putting up fences or enclosing with a fence or protection; also fencing in.
1628Bp. Hall Serm. Wks. 1634 II. 311 All this provision of..Fencing, Stoning, Planting, were nothing without a continuall over-sight. 1719De Foe Crusoe (1840) I. xvi. 274, I went on with my..planting and fencing. 1817–8Cobbett Resid. U.S. (1822) 107 Fencing..presses itself upon the attention of the..Farmer. 1892Lockwood Dict. Mech. Engin., Fencing In.—The enclosure of machinery..Fencing in is compulsory.
b. concr. An enclosure or railing; fences collectively; sometimes preceded by some qualifying word, as rail-fencing, stone-fencing, wire-fencing. Also the materials of fences for farms (U.S.).
c1585R. Browne Answ. Cartwright 44 Let [him]..shewe..an orcharde..without..some safe inclosing or fencing. 1857Ruskin Elem. Drawing 326 A decayed fragment or two of fencing fill the gaps in the bank. 1881Encycl. Brit. (ed. 9) XII. 190/1 For..Sussex, where..the fencing for the most part [is] what is called cramped.
4. The action of leaping a fence.
1827Sporting Mag. XX. 203 With our first fox we had some very severe fencing. 1861G. J. Whyte-Melville Mkt. Harborough 275 When hounds run best pace, horses have not wind for extraordinary exertions in the matter of fencing.
5. Sc. The opening of a Parliament or Court of Justice with the prescribed formula denouncing penalties against disturbers. Cf. fence v. 8.
1708Proclam. in Lond. Gaz. No. 4464/4 Our Proclamation to be..read in Open Court immediately after Fencing thereof. 1752J. Louthian Form of Process (ed. 2) 232 That ye..be present at the said Justice-court, before the down-sitting and fencing thereof.
6. slang. The action or habit of receiving or dealing in stolen goods.
1851Mayhew Lond. Labour I. 255 Their ‘fencing’..does not extend to any plate. 1880Standard 12 Apr. 5/2 Receiving stolen property, or ‘fencing’..is largely practised in London.
7. attrib. and Comb., (sense 1), as fencing-foils, fencing-grace, fencing-hall, fencing-master, fencing-match, fencing-room, fencing-school, fencing-skill, etc.; (sense 3), as fencing-branch, fencing-gear, fencing post, fencing-wire; also, fencing-cully, a receiver and storer of stolen goods; fencing-gauge (see quot.); fencing-ken or -repository, a storing place for stolen goods; fencing-machine, a machine for shaping, fitting and finishing posts, rails, etc. for fences (Cent. Dict.); fencing-nail (see quot.).
1669Worlidge Syst. Agric. (1681) 101 The Black-Thorn [etc.]..yield a very good *Fencing-branch.
a1700B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, *Fencing Cully, a Broker, or Receiver of Stolen goods.
1829Lytton Devereux ii. i, A table was covered with books, a couple of *fencing-foils..and..letters.
1874Knight Dict. Mech. I. 836/1 *Fencing-gage, an implement to space and hold boards against a post while nailing them.
a1950L. Skuthorpe in Austral. Short Stories (1951) 132 Get the *fencing-gear, lads, and put that fence up again.
1597Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, ii. i. 206 This is the right *Fencing grace..tap for tap, and so part faire.
1601Holland Pliny I. 434 Our common *fencing-halls, and places of publick exercises.
a1700B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, *Fencing-ken, the Magazine..where Stolen goods are secured.
a1648Ld. Herbert Life (1870) 34 The good *fencing-masters..present a foyle or fleuret to their scholars.
1779Sheridan Critic ii. ii, As smart as hits in a *fencing-match.
1874Knight Dict. Mech. I. 836/1 *Fencing-nail, a heavy nail of its class adapted for fastening on fencing-boards.
1877H. C. Hodge Arizona 59 The forests of juniper will furnish large quantities of the most durable railroad ties, *fencing posts. 1950N.Z. Jrnl. Agric. Mar. 233/1 Pre-cast [concrete] products such as blocks and fencing posts.
1812Sporting Mag. XXXIX. 209 A convenient *fencing repository.
1897Outing (U.S.) XXX. 200/1 The contest was held March 20th in the *fencing-room of the New York Athletic Club.
1637Nabbes Microcosm. 1, I was bred up in Mars his *Fencing-schoole. 1712Budgell Spect. No. 539 ⁋1 Like him who comes into a fencing-school to pick a quarrel.
1878Rep. Indian Affairs (U.S.) 35, I suggested that *fencing-wire be supplied. 1908Westm. Gaz. 11 June 2/1 The fencing-wire trade. 1936A. Russell Gone Nomad vi. 45, I had unloosed the wrong tie rope, thereby dropping a coil of fencing wire on Brown's toes. |