Fleece

/fliːs/

Meaning & Definition

noun

The soft, woolly covering of a sheep or similar animal.

The farmer sheared the fleece from the sheep in the spring.

A soft fabric made to look like sheep's wool.

She wore a warm fleece jacket during the cold winter days.

verb

To obtain a large amount of money from someone, often by deceiving or cheating them.

He fleeced the investors with a fraudulent business scheme.

To strip off the fleece or wool from a sheep.

The shepherd will fleece the sheep once a year to collect wool.

From Middle English 'fleece', originating from Old English 'flēos', related to 'flēogan' meaning to fly.

fleece someone

To deceive or cheat someone.

fleece market

A market with inflated prices or deals that are too good to be true.

fleece jacket

A warm upper garment made from fleece fabric.

sheep

An animal commonly raised for its wool.

wool

The soft, curly hair that grows on sheep.

To con or scam someone.

He fleeced me on that deal, making it look too good to be true.

To overcharge or cheat excessively.

The repairman really tried to fleece me with those prices.