"fence sitter" meaning in English

See fence sitter in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

Forms: fence sitters [plural]
Etymology: fence + sitter, from the verb sit on the fence. Etymology templates: {{compound|en|fence|sitter}} fence + sitter, {{m|en|sit on the fence}} sit on the fence Head templates: {{en-noun}} fence sitter (plural fence sitters)
  1. One who takes neither side of an argument or controversy, but maintains a neutral position. Categories (topical): People Translations (one maintaining neutral position): 牆頭草 (Chinese Mandarin), 墙头草 (qiángtóucǎo) (Chinese Mandarin), neŭtralisto (Esperanto), attendista [feminine, masculine] (Italian), 회색분자 (hoesaekbunja) (Korean), "em cima do muro" (Portuguese), наблюдатель (nabljudatelʹ) [masculine] (Russian), "моя хата с краю" (moja xata s kraju) [idiomatic] (Russian), (passiv) åskådare [common-gender] (Swedish)
    Sense id: en-fence_sitter-en-noun-aQldwOX- Disambiguation of People: 49 51 Disambiguation of 'one maintaining neutral position': 79 21
  2. (potentially offensive) One who is bisexual, or who is uncertain about their sexual orientation. Categories (topical): LGBT, People Synonyms: bisexual person Related terms: draadsitter, fence-sitting, on the fence
    Sense id: en-fence_sitter-en-noun-NDeM8v~B Disambiguation of LGBT: 12 88 Disambiguation of People: 49 51 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English entries with topic categories using raw markup, English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 34 66 Disambiguation of English entries with topic categories using raw markup: 22 78 Disambiguation of English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys: 32 68

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

Download JSON data for fence sitter meaning in English (4.0kB)

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fence",
        "3": "sitter"
      },
      "expansion": "fence + sitter",
      "name": "compound"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "sit on the fence"
      },
      "expansion": "sit on the fence",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "fence + sitter, from the verb sit on the fence.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "fence sitters",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
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    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "fence sitter (plural fence sitters)",
      "name": "en-noun"
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  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
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        {
          "_dis": "49 51",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "People",
          "orig": "en:People",
          "parents": [
            "Human",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "One who takes neither side of an argument or controversy, but maintains a neutral position."
      ],
      "id": "en-fence_sitter-en-noun-aQldwOX-",
      "links": [
        [
          "argument",
          "argument"
        ],
        [
          "controversy",
          "controversy"
        ],
        [
          "neutral",
          "neutral"
        ],
        [
          "position",
          "position"
        ]
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "79 21",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "one maintaining neutral position",
          "word": "牆頭草"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "79 21",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "qiángtóucǎo",
          "sense": "one maintaining neutral position",
          "word": "墙头草"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "79 21",
          "code": "eo",
          "lang": "Esperanto",
          "sense": "one maintaining neutral position",
          "word": "neŭtralisto"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "79 21",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "one maintaining neutral position",
          "tags": [
            "feminine",
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "attendista"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "79 21",
          "code": "ko",
          "lang": "Korean",
          "roman": "hoesaekbunja",
          "sense": "one maintaining neutral position",
          "word": "회색분자"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "79 21",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "one maintaining neutral position",
          "word": "\"em cima do muro\""
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "79 21",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "nabljudatelʹ",
          "sense": "one maintaining neutral position",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "наблюдатель"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "79 21",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "moja xata s kraju",
          "sense": "one maintaining neutral position",
          "tags": [
            "idiomatic"
          ],
          "word": "\"моя хата с краю\""
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "79 21",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "one maintaining neutral position",
          "tags": [
            "common-gender"
          ],
          "word": "(passiv) åskådare"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
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          "_dis": "34 66",
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          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
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          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "22 78",
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          "name": "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
          "parents": [
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          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "32 68",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
          "parents": [
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          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "12 88",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "LGBT",
          "orig": "en:LGBT",
          "parents": [
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            "Human behaviour",
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            "All topics",
            "Reproduction",
            "Fundamental",
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            "Nature"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "49 51",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "People",
          "orig": "en:People",
          "parents": [
            "Human",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2007, Adrian Tomine, Shortcomings (graphic novel), page 65",
          "text": "What...? EW. You scored with the fence-sitter?"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "One who is bisexual, or who is uncertain about their sexual orientation."
      ],
      "id": "en-fence_sitter-en-noun-NDeM8v~B",
      "links": [
        [
          "bisexual",
          "bisexual"
        ],
        [
          "orientation",
          "orientation"
        ]
      ],
      "qualifier": "potentially offensive",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(potentially offensive) One who is bisexual, or who is uncertain about their sexual orientation."
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "_dis1": "37 63",
          "word": "draadsitter"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "37 63",
          "word": "fence-sitting"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "37 63",
          "word": "on the fence"
        }
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "bisexual person"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "fence sitter"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English compound terms",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
    "en:LGBT",
    "en:People"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fence",
        "3": "sitter"
      },
      "expansion": "fence + sitter",
      "name": "compound"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "sit on the fence"
      },
      "expansion": "sit on the fence",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "fence + sitter, from the verb sit on the fence.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "fence sitters",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "fence sitter (plural fence sitters)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "draadsitter"
    },
    {
      "word": "fence-sitting"
    },
    {
      "word": "on the fence"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "One who takes neither side of an argument or controversy, but maintains a neutral position."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "argument",
          "argument"
        ],
        [
          "controversy",
          "controversy"
        ],
        [
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          "neutral"
        ],
        [
          "position",
          "position"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English offensive terms"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2007, Adrian Tomine, Shortcomings (graphic novel), page 65",
          "text": "What...? EW. You scored with the fence-sitter?"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "One who is bisexual, or who is uncertain about their sexual orientation."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "bisexual",
          "bisexual"
        ],
        [
          "orientation",
          "orientation"
        ]
      ],
      "qualifier": "potentially offensive",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(potentially offensive) One who is bisexual, or who is uncertain about their sexual orientation."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "bisexual person"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "one maintaining neutral position",
      "word": "牆頭草"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "qiángtóucǎo",
      "sense": "one maintaining neutral position",
      "word": "墙头草"
    },
    {
      "code": "eo",
      "lang": "Esperanto",
      "sense": "one maintaining neutral position",
      "word": "neŭtralisto"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "one maintaining neutral position",
      "tags": [
        "feminine",
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "attendista"
    },
    {
      "code": "ko",
      "lang": "Korean",
      "roman": "hoesaekbunja",
      "sense": "one maintaining neutral position",
      "word": "회색분자"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "one maintaining neutral position",
      "word": "\"em cima do muro\""
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "nabljudatelʹ",
      "sense": "one maintaining neutral position",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "наблюдатель"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "moja xata s kraju",
      "sense": "one maintaining neutral position",
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ],
      "word": "\"моя хата с краю\""
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "one maintaining neutral position",
      "tags": [
        "common-gender"
      ],
      "word": "(passiv) åskådare"
    }
  ],
  "word": "fence sitter"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-05-06 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-05-02 using wiktextract (f4fd8c9 and c9440ce). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.