Fensing

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. An old variant spelling of the word for the sport of sword fighting, or for the barriers and materials that enclose land
2. A dated way of writing the practice of building enclosures or of fighting with swords
3. An obsolete spelling referring to fences collectively or to the art of swordplay

Etymology: "Fensing" is an misspelling of "fencing," the present participle and gerund of "fence." The standard spelling keeps the "c," which matches the verb's own spelling. "Fence" is a clipped form of the older "defence," which in Middle English already meant protection or a means of defending. Over time the initial syllable dropped off, leaving "fence" as the name for both the protective barrier around land and the art of defending oneself with a blade.