fleece meaning
Fleece
Definition:
- A type of soft, warm fabric that resembles wool, often used in clothing and blankets.
- A sheep’s coat of wool, typically used when sheared for the purpose of making woolen products.
- Informally, the term can refer to the act of swindling or cheating someone out of money.
Usage:
- As a noun: “She wrapped herself in a warm fleece on the chilly evening.”
- As a verb (informal): “He fleeced her out of her savings with his deceitful investment scheme.”
Etymology:
The word “fleece” originates from Old English “flēos,” which is related to the Proto-Germanic “*flaisaz,” meaning “wool” or “the soft covering of animals.” The verb form, meaning “to rob or cheat,” has unclear origins but may derive from the notion of stripping away a sheep’s fleece.
Pronunciation:
/fliːs/
Synonyms:
- For the fabric meaning: fleece fabric, shearling, polar fleece.
- For the sheep coat: wool, fleece coat.
- For the verb meaning: swindle, cheat, defraud, dupe.
Antonyms:
- For the fabric meaning: none directly applicable, but wool could be considered a more specific term relating to the natural fiber from which fleece can be made.
- For the verb meaning: reward, compensate, give.
In summary, “fleece” can refer to the warm fabric commonly used for outerwear, the woolly covering of sheep, or an informal term for cheating someone, depending on the context.
- She wore a warm fleece jacket to keep comfortable during the chilly hike.
- The farmer sheared the sheep to gather their fleece for making woolen products.
- After the rain, the soft fleece blanket dried quickly in the sunlight.
- The child snuggled under the fleece throws while watching a movie on the couch.
- They decided to sell the colorful fleece yarn at the craft fair for knitting enthusiasts.
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