fleecing

the word 'fleecing' originates from the old english noun 'fleece,' which referred to the wool coat of a sheep. by the 16th century, this concrete noun had developed a verb sense meaning 'to shear wool from a sheep,' drawing a direct analogy from the physical action. the modern figurative meaning, 'to swindle or overcharge,' emerged in the late 16th century, metaphorically extending the logic of stripping someone of their valuables as completely as one strips wool from a sheep. the suffix '-ing' is a productive english morpheme that forms the present participle or gerund, indicating the ongoing action or process of this deceptive or shearing practice.

Structure: fleece (wool; to strip of wool) + ing (verb suffix indicating action) fleece (from old english flēos, flīes, meaning "wool, fleece"; a noun that later developed a verb sense). ing (from old english -ende, -ung, a suffix forming verbal nouns or present participles).