Noun

1. A thin, human-constructed barrier which separates two pieces of land or a house perimeter.
   • 1865, Horatio Alger, Paul Prescott's Charge - Chapter XVII,

     There was a weak place in the fence separating the two inclosures

2. A middleman for transactions of stolen goods.
3. The place whence such a middleman operates.
4. Skill in oral debate.
5. The art or practice of fencing.
   • 1599, William Shakespeare, The Merry Wives of Windsor,

     I bruised my shin th' other day with playing at sword and dagger with a master of fence

6. A guard or guide on machinery.

Verb

1. To enclose, contain or separate by building fence.
   • 1856, George A. Smith, The Saints Should Divest Themselves of Old Traditions,

     Here are twenty acres of land, and it is all you can properly farm, unless you have more help than yourself. Now fence and cultivate it, and you can make an abundant living.

2. To defend or guard.
3. To engage in the selling or buying of stolen goods.
4. To engage in (the sport) fencing.
   • 1921, Rafael Sabatini, Scaramouche,

     Challenges are flying right and left between these bully-swordsmen, these spadassinicides, and poor devils of the robe who have never learnt to fence with anything but a quill.

5. To jump over a fence.