Fleece (?), n. [OE. flees, AS. fleos; akin to D. flies, vlies .] 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. Manuf. The fine web of cotton or wool removed by the doffing knife from the cylinder of a carding machine.
Fleece wool, wool shorn from the sheep. -- Golden fleece. See under Golden.
© Webster 1913.
Fleece, v. t. [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 frand; 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.]
Thomson.
© Webster 1913. | 
