fleece

Fleece most often refers to the soft, curly wool on a sheep. In modern everyday English, it also means a soft, warm fabric, often made from synthetic material, that is used for jackets, blankets, and other cold-weather clothing. But the word also has a very different use as a verb: to fleece someone means to cheat them and take their money. So you might talk about a warm fleece jacket, or say that a dishonest seller fleeced a customer. The word can suggest both comfort and trickery, depending on how it is used.

Originally, "fleece" referred to the woolly coat of a sheep, valued for warmth and used for centuries to make cloth and clothing. Even now, the word can bring to mind sheep in fields and thick, soft wool. In modern English, though, people often use it for a soft fabric, usually synthetic, that feels warm and light. That is the sense in phrases like "a fleece jacket," "a fleece blanket," or "fleece-lined gloves."

However, the word also developed a second, less pleasant meaning. To fleece someone means to cheat them, especially by taking too much money from them or tricking them out of it. The image comes from shearing a sheep: just as the wool is stripped away, a dishonest person leaves the victim with much less than they should have. That is why someone might say, "The dishonest mechanic tried to fleece me with unnecessary repairs," or "Tourists were fleeced by fake ticket sellers."

Ultimately, fleece is a word of contrasts. It can suggest warmth, softness, and comfort, or it can describe a dishonest act of taking money from someone. The meaning is usually clear from the context, but the contrast makes the word especially memorable.