fleece

fleece — noun

1. The thick, soft wool coat that grows on animals like sheep and other wool-bearin

1.nounB1
Definition

The thick, soft wool coat that grows on animals like sheep and other wool-bearing creatures, whether still on the body or cut off during shearing.

Example

The farmer carefully washed the fleece after shearing the sheep.

collocation: wash / shear a fleece

Meera patted the lamb's soft white fleece as it rested in the barn.

Common collocations
  • thick fleece
  • soft fleece
  • white fleece
  • sheep's fleece
  • shear a fleece
Synonyms
  • wool

    more general — fleece is the whole coat; wool can be the fibres after processing

  • coat

    broader term for an animal's fur covering, not specific to sheep

Grammar Patterns

a fleece (the wool of one sheep)

fleece (the material)

Usage Note

This sense can describe the wool while still on the living animal ("the sheep's fleece") or after it has been cut off in one piece. Compare with sense 2 (SYNTHETIC FABRIC), which describes an artificial material.

2. A soft, warm artificial fabric, typically made from polyester, with a thick fluf

2.nounB1
Definition

A soft, warm artificial fabric, typically made from polyester, with a thick fluffy surface that resembles wool and is widely used to produce warm jackets, blankets, and other clothing items.

Example

Jisoo wore a warm jacket made of fleece on the cold morning walk.

collocation: made of fleece

The inside of the sleeping bag was lined with soft fleece.

Common collocations
  • soft fleece
  • warm fleece
  • polyester fleece
  • fleece lining
  • fleece fabric
Synonyms
  • polar fleece

    more specific brand-origin term for the same synthetic fabric

  • microfleece

    thinner, lighter version of the same material

Grammar Patterns

made of fleece

fleece [noun] (as modifier)

Usage Note

As an uncountable noun, this sense refers to the material itself, not a garment. To refer to a jacket made from this fabric, use sense 3 (WARM JACKET).

Common Mistakes

I bought a fleece at the store' (when you mean a piece of fabric).
I bought a fleece jacket at the store.
'a fleece' by itself usually means the garment (sense 3), not the fabric.

3. A jacket or top made from soft synthetic fleece fabric, worn as an outer layer i

3.nounB1
Definition

A jacket or top made from soft synthetic fleece fabric, worn as an outer layer in cool weather for warmth.

Example

Adina zipped up her fleece before stepping out into the autumn air.

collocation: zip up a fleece

Every hiker on the trip packed a lightweight fleece for the mountain trail.

Common collocations
  • zip up a fleece
  • wear a fleece
  • buy a fleece
  • lightweight fleece
  • blue fleece
Synonyms
  • fleece jacket

    explicit compound; less ambiguous in writing

  • fleece top

    softer term for a fleece that is not a full jacket

Grammar Patterns

a fleece

fleece (plural: fleeces)

Usage Note

Countable noun — 'a fleece' / 'fleeces'. This is the most common everyday use of 'fleece' as a noun in British and American English. The garment is typically worn as a mid-layer or light outer layer.

4. A thin, light man-made sheet that gardeners put over plants to shield them from

4.nounB2
Definition

A thin, light man-made sheet that gardeners put over plants to shield them from cold weather, wind, or insects while allowing sunlight to reach them.

Example

The gardener covered the young plants with fleece before the first frost.

collocation: cover plants with fleece

Élise pinned fleece over the vegetable patch to keep the carrots warm.

Common collocations
  • garden fleece
  • horticultural fleece
  • cover plants with fleece
Synonyms
  • row cover

    more common in American English for the same gardening material

  • frost cloth

    alternative term focused on frost protection

Grammar Patterns

garden fleece

fleece [noun] (as modifier)

Usage Note

Most common in British gardening contexts. In American English, 'row cover' or 'frost cloth' is more widely used for the same product.

fleece — verb

Word family

  • fleeced
    adjectiveC1
  • fleecy
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words describe situations where someone pays too much, but they differ in tone and scope. 'Fleece' and 'rip off' are informal and imply the seller took advantage of the buyer's trust or ignorance — for example, a taxi driver charging a tourist three times the normal rate. 'Overcharge' is more neutral and can be accidental: a cashier might overcharge you simply by typing the wrong price. 'Swindle' is the most serious and suggests a planned fraud with deception, such as tricking someone into buying a fake painting. In everyday conversation, 'fleece' and 'rip off' are the most common choices: 'I got fleeced at that restaurant' or 'They totally ripped me off.'

swindlerip off ↗overchargefleece ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • completely fleeced

Prepositions

  • fleece of [sheep / money]

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Fleece comes from Old English 'flēos,' a word for the wool covering of a sheep that dates back over a thousand years and has relatives in other Germanic languages. The verb meaning 'to cheat someone out of their money' appeared in the 1500s — it was a metaphor based on the image of shearing a sheep, as if the cheater were 'stripping' the victim of their money the way a farmer strips wool from an animal.