Fleece — Defs

01 n. The entire coat of wool that covers a sheep or other similar animal; also, the quantity shorn from a sheep, or animal, at one time.

1.
The entire coat of wool that covers a sheep or other similar animal; also, the quantity shorn from a sheep, or animal, at one time.
“Who shore me Like a tame wether, all my precious fleece.” — Milton.
2.
Any soft woolly covering resembling a fleece.
3.
The fine web of cotton or wool removed by the doffing knife from the cylinder of a carding machine.(Manuf.)

Phrases & compounds

Fleece wool — wool shorn from the sheep.

Golden fleece — See under Golden.

02 v. t. To deprive of a fleece, or natural covering of wool.

imp. & p. p. Fleeced; p. pr. & vb. n. Fleecing

1.
To deprive of a fleece, or natural covering of wool.
2.
To strip of money or other property unjustly, especially by trickery or fraud; to bring to straits by oppressions and exactions.
“Whilst pope and prince shared the wool betwixt them, the people were finely fleeced.” — Fuller.
3.
To spread over as with wool.[R.]