I. ˈflēs noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English flees, from Old English flēos, flȳs; akin to Middle Dutch vlies fleece, Middle High German vlius fleece, Latin pluma down, small soft feather, Lithuanian pluskos (plural) tufts of hair
1.
a. : the coat of wool that covers a sheep or similar animal
the fleece of the vicuna is very soft
b. : the wool obtained from a sheep at one shearing
a fleece of over 16 pounds
c. : a heraldic representation of the fleece of a ram depicted complete with head and feet as if stuffed and suspended by a belt about its middle
2. : any of various coverings resembling a fleece especially in soft or woolly quality
a heavy fleece of snow
a cloud fleece half covered the sky
as
a. : a covering of vegetation
b. : a head of hair
c. : a soft bulky knitted or woven fabric that has a deep pile or long nap and that is made usually of wool or synthetic fibers and used chiefly for clothing
3. : meat taken from either side of the hump of the buffalo
4. obsolete
a. : booty from the fleecing of a victim
b. : the act of fleecing a victim
5. : a web of cotton or wool fiber during the carding process
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
1.
a. : to shear the fleece from (as a sheep)
b. : to remove (as wool) by shearing or plucking
2.
a. : to strip (as a person) of property by fraud or extortion : despoil , plunder
fleeced the church to build an estate for his sons
sometimes : to charge excessively for service or goods
garish roadhouses where the customer knew he would be fleeced
b. : to obtain by rapacious or improper means
never hesitated to fleece a fee from a poor widow
3. : to cover or fleck with (fleecy masses)
a blue sky fleeced with little clouds