the wool of a sheep or similar animal
"The farmer carefully sheared his flock to collect their warm fleece before winter arrived."
a soft bulky fabric with deep pile; used chiefly for clothing
"The winter coat was made of thick, warm fleece that kept her comfortable in the freezing wind."
Hair or wool of a sheep or similar animal
"The shepherd carefully combed off the thick fleece from the sheep before shearing it."
In plain English: A fleece is a soft, warm sweater made from wool-like synthetic fibers that keeps you cozy without being heavy.
"She wore her father's worn wool fleece to keep warm during the hike."
Usage: As a noun, fleece refers specifically to the thick coat of wool from a sheep that is sheared for use in textiles and clothing. When used as a verb, it means to cheat someone financially by taking advantage of their trust or ignorance.
To con or trick (someone) out of money.
"The salesman tried to fleece the elderly man into buying an expensive watch he didn't need."
In plain English: To fleece someone means to cheat them out of their money by tricking them into paying too much for something they don't really need or want.
"The tourists felt foolish when they were fleeced by an overpriced souvenir shop owner."
The word fleece comes from the Old English term for wool or sheep's hair. It traveled directly into Middle English and then modern usage without a significant shift in its original meaning.