Fleece /(flēs)/

Fleece

n.
  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.
  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.

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 fraud; to bring to straits by oppressions and exactions.
    Whilst pope and prince shared the wool betwixt them, the people were finely fleeced.
  3. To spread over as with wool. [R.]