1. The wool of a sheep or similar animal
   "The shepherd sheared the sheep for their fleece"
    
2. Outer coat of especially sheep and yaks
   "The shepherd sheared the sheep's fleece for textile production";
   - wool
    
3. Tanned skin of a sheep with the fleece left on; used for clothing
   "He wrapped himself in a warm fleece coat";
   - sheepskin
    
4. A soft bulky fabric with deep pile; used chiefly for clothing
   "She snuggled into her warm fleece jacket"

1. Shave the wool from
   "fleece sheep";
   - shear
    
2. [informal] Charge an excessive or unfair price
   "The mechanic fleeced us on the car repairs";
   - overcharge, soak [informal], surcharge, pluck [informal], rob, skin [informal], rip off [informal], gouge [informal]
    
3. [informal] Deprive of by deceit
   "He fleeced me out of my inheritance";
   - swindle, rook, goldbrick [N. Amer, informal], diddle [informal], bunco [N. Amer, informal], defraud, scam [informal], mulct, hornswoggle [N. Amer, informal], short-change, con [informal], ream [N. Amer, informal], grift [N. Amer, informal], bunko [N. Amer, informal]

Derived forms: fleecing, fleeced, fleeces

Type of: cheat, chisel [informal], cloth, coat, fabric, leather, material, pelage, rip off [informal], shave, textile, trim, wool

Encyclopedia: Fleece