Past tense of fence: to enclose an area with a fence, or to engage in sword fighting.
From Old French 'fencer' meaning to defend or enclose. Originally referred to defending or protecting a space, which evolved to mean building barriers and later to the sport of fencing with swords.
The same word describes both building a backyard barrier and the Olympic sport of sword fighting because they both involve the idea of defense and boundary—one protects your property, the other protects your body.
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