the covering of wool shorn off the bodies of sheep. See the article **WOOL**.

**FLEET** commonly implies a company of ships of war belonging to any prince or state; but sometimes it denotes any number of trading ships employed in a particular branch of commerce.

**FLEET** is also a noted prison in London, where persons are committed for contempt of the king and his laws, particularly of his courts of justice; or for debt, where any person will not or cannot pay his creditors. See **LONDON**.