ˈring-fence, n.
[ring n.1]
a. A fence completely enclosing an estate, farm, or piece of ground.
| 1769 Bp. Wilton Inclosure Act 15 The out-fence or ring⁓fence. 1778 W. H. Marshall Minutes Agric. 8 Jan. 1776, A thousand acres..lying on a level, within a ring-fence. 1822 Scott Peveril xi, I may indeed have said your estates were born to be united; and to be sure it is natural for me..to wish that it was all within the ring fence again. 1887 Jessopp Arcady vii. 205 The mania for ring fences is not what it was. |
| attrib. 1778 W. H. Marshall Minutes Agric. 21 Dec. 1775, The advantages of a compact, ring-fence Farm. |
b. transf. and
fig. Also
attrib.| 1819 ‘R. Rabelais’ Abeillard & Heloisa 333 Three thousand pupils made ring-fence. 1847 Alb. Smith Chr. Tadpole ii, The contracted existence in a country town..is a sad padlock on the mind, keeping it in a terrible ring-fence. 1891 Pall Mall G. 23 June 2/2 Extending the ‘ring-fence’ policy of commercial relations. 1950 Times 8 Feb. 6/3 The decline is understood to be due mostly to the removal of the ‘ring-fence’ round the industry, that is, the provision of the Control of Engagement Order requiring miners to stay in coal-mining employment. 1965 Economist 6 Nov. 623/2 Imports into ECSC have not been held out by the tariff ‘ring fence’ erected after the last recession. |
Hence
ˈring-fence v. trans., to enclose with a ring-fence; also
fig.;
ring-fenced ppl. a.
| 1769 Aclome Inclosure Act 13 Tythe allotments to be ring-fenced. 1801 Act 41 Geo. III, c. 109 §13 To award, order, and direct any such Allotments to be laid together and ring-fenced. 1898 Maitland Township & Borough 191 In later documents I can not see any ring-fenced estate. 1903 R. Fry Let. 30 Jan. (1972) I. 203 B.B. should not have it said that he is capable of political scheming to ring-fence Italian art. 1974 Northern Times (Golspie, Sutherland) 2 Aug. 3/4 The proposal to ringfence Embo village was not acceptable for grant purposes. |