vbl. sb. [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.
1581. Mulcaster, Positions, xviii. (1887), 79. Concerning fensing, or skill how to handle the weapon.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., III. xiii. 185. Tilting and Fencing is warre without anger; and manly sports are the Grammer of Military performance.
a. 1735. Arbuthnot & Pope, Martin Scrib., vii., in Pope’s Wks. (1741), II. 26. These … could no more be learned alone than Fencing or Cudgel-playing.
1829. Lytton, Devereux, I. iv. Fencing is an accomplishment in which Gerald is very nearly my equal.
fig. 1608. Shaks., Per., IV. vi. 62. Bawd. ’Pray you, without any more virginal fencing, will you use him kindly?
1687. Dryden, Hind & P., II. 33.
| (After long fencing push’d against a wall,) | |
| Your salvo comes, that he’s not there at all: | |
| There chang’d your faith, and what may change may fall. |
1849. Helps, Friends in C. (1854), II. 9. There is skilful fencing even in your talk.
1876. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), V. xxiii. 117. If Malcolm every really used such an argument, it was doubtless only as a piece of diplomatic fencing.
ǁ In wider sense: (see quot.)
1692. O. 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.).
1489. Caxton, Faytes of A., I. x. 27. In sawtyng or fensyng of a forteresse a slynge is good & couenable.
1661. Fuller, Worthies (1840), I. ii. 4. Providence having given men hands, and reason to use them (two blessings denied to other creatures), all clothing and fencing is eminently and transcendantly bestowed upon him.
1668. Culpepper & Cole, Barthol. Anat., II. i. 88. The more noble parts require great fencing.
1761. Hume, 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.
1628. Bp. Hall, Serm., Wks. 1634, II. 311. All this provision of … Fencing, Stoning, Planting, were nothing without a continuall over-sight.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe (1840), I. xvi. 274. I went on with my, however, with my husbandry; digging, planting, and fencing as usual.
1817–8. Cobbett, Resid. U. S. (1822), 107–8. Fencing, a subject which presses itself upon the attention of the American Farmer, but from which he turns with feelings like those, with which a losing tradesman turns from an examination of his books.
1892. Lockwood, 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-, stone-, wire-fencing. Also the materials of fences for farms (U.S.).
c. 1585. R. Browne, Answ. Cartwright, 44. Let [him] … shewe … an orcharde … without … some safe inclosing or fencing.
1857. Ruskin, Elem. Drawing, 326. A decayed fragment or two of fencing fill the gaps in the bank.
1881. Encycl. Brit. (ed. 9), XII. 193/1, ‘Horse.’ For Devonshire, Surrey, Essex, or Sussex, where the fields are small and the fencing for the most part what is called cramped, a horse with less blood and of smaller stature will answer every purpose.
4. The action of leaping a fence.
1827. Sporting Mag., XX. July, 203/1. With our first fox we had some very severe fencing, and there were two very awkward falls.
1861. Whyte-Melville, Mkt. Harborough, xxiii. 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.
1708. Proclam., in Lond. Gaz., No. 4464/4. Our Proclamation to be … read in Open Court immediately after Fencing thereof.
1752. J. Louthian, Form of Process (ed. 2), 232. That ye, your Deputes and Officers, 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.
1851. Mayhew, Lond. Labour, I. 255. Their ‘fencing’ … does not extend to any plate.
1880. Standard, 12 April, 5/2. Receiving stolen property, or ‘fencing’ … is largely practised in London.
7. attrib. and Comb., (sense 1), as fencing-foils, -grace, -hall, -master, -match, -school, -skill, etc.; (sense 3), as fencing-branch, -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.).
1669. J. Worlidge, Syst. Agric. (1681), 101. The Black-Thorn [etc.] … yield a very good *Fencing-branch.
a. 1700. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, *Fencing Cully, a Broker, or Receiver of Stolen goods.
1829. Lytton, Devereux, II. i. A table was covered with books, a couple of *fencing foils, a woman’s mask, and a profusion of letters.
1874. Knight, Dict. Mech., I. 836/1. *Fencing-gage. An implement to space and hold boards against a post while nailing them.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., II. i. 206. This is the right *Fencing grace (my Lord) tap for tap, and so part faire.
1601. Holland, Pliny, I. 434. Our common *fencing-halls, and places of publick exercises be perfumed with these sweet oiles, and do smell of them.
a. 1700. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, *Fencing-ken, the Magazine … where Stolen goods are secured.
a. 1648. Ld. Herbert, Life (1764), 46. The good Fencing-masters, in France especially, when they present a Foyle or Fleuret to their Scholars, tell him it hath two Parts, one of which he calleth the Fort or strong, and the other the Foyble or weak.
1779. Sheridan, Critic, II. ii. Egad, the pro and con goes as smart as hits in a *fencing-match.
1874. Knight, Dict. Mech., I. 836/1. *Fencing-nail. A heavy nail of its class, adapted for fastening on fencing-boards.
1812. Sporting Mag., XXXIX. Feb., 209/1. A convenient *fencing repository.
1637. Nabbes, Microcosm., I. I was bred up in Mars his *Fencing-schoole.
1712. Budgell, Spect., No. 539, 18 Nov., ¶ 1. Like him who comes into a fencing-school to pick a quarrel.
