Emily Dickinson Lexicon

FLEECE, n. [Sax. fleos, flys, flese; D. vlies; G. fliess; most probably from shearing or stripping, as in Dutch the word signifies a film or membrane, as well as a fleece. The verb to fleece seems to favor the sense of stripping. See Class Ls, No. 25, 28, 30. But Qu. L. vellus, from vello, to pluck or tear off. Varro. See Class Bl. In Russ. volos is hair or wool, written also vlas. It was probably the practice to pluck off wool, before it was to shear it.]

The coat of wool shorn from a sheep at one time.