# etymology of "fleece" meaning "to defraud"?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-fleece-meaning-to-defraud/663344>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 12, 2013, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-fleece-meaning-to-defraud/663344 "2013-07-12T18:50:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\
**Post date:** [July 12, 2013, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-fleece-meaning-to-defraud/663344/1 "2013-07-12T18:50:21Z")

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See subject line. [Dictionary](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/fleece?s=t&path=/) says the verb has the same etymology as the noun referring to wool. So how do we get from sheep’s wool to ripping someone off?

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**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\
**Post date:** [July 12, 2013, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-fleece-meaning-to-defraud/663344/2 "2013-07-12T18:52:04Z")

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Ever see a shaved sheep?

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**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\
**Post date:** [July 12, 2013, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-fleece-meaning-to-defraud/663344/3 "2013-07-12T18:59:33Z")

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I suppose that after a shearing a sheep is left substantially reduced and looking a little foolish.

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**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\
**Post date:** [July 12, 2013, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-fleece-meaning-to-defraud/663344/4 "2013-07-12T19:03:40Z")

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Yeah, it’s just a very specific metaphor for “taken for everything you had.” Think about those old-style cartoons of someone so destitute they’re left with only a wooden barrel on suspenders, which is just modest comic strip shorthand for “they even took my underwear.”

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**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\
**Post date:** [July 12, 2013, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-fleece-meaning-to-defraud/663344/5 "2013-07-12T19:04:21Z")

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You can shear the same sheep time and again, with some planning.

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2013, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-fleece-meaning-to-defraud/663344/6 "2013-07-13T00:18:29Z")

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“To fleece” goes back to the 1500’s to mean what others have provided.