fray
verbEtymology
From Late Middle English fraien (“to attack, invade; to make an attack; to brawl, fight; to make a loud noise (?); to frighten, terrify; to be frightened of (something), fear”), an aphetic variant of affraien (“to attack, invade; to harass; to brawl, fight; to riot; to reproach; to frighten, terrify; to be frightened of (something), fear; to alarm, disturb; to arouse, awaken, excite”) (whence affray), from Anglo-Norman affraier, afrayer (“to frighten, terrify; to disquiet; to disturb”) [and other forms], a variant of effreier, esfreier [and other forms], and Old French effreer, esfreer (“to frighten, scare; to be afraid”) [and other forms] (modern French effrayer), from Vulgar Latin *exfridāre, from Latin ex- (prefix indicating privation) + Frankish *friþu (“peace”) (from Proto-Germanic *friþuz (“peace, tranquility; refuge, sanctuary”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *preyH- (“to love; to please”)).
- derived from ex-
- derived from *exfridāre✻
- derived from effreer
- derived from affraier
- inherited from fraien — “to attack, invade; to make an attack; to brawl, fight; to make a loud noise (?); to frighten, terrify; to be frightened of (something), fear”
Definitions
To rub or wear away (something)
To rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction; also, to irritate (something) through chafing or rubbing; to chafe.
- S. Paul alſo defineth the law to be the knowlege of ſyn, yͭ is, which accuſeth, frayeth the cõſcience, & maketh ſynnes knowen.
- [W]ith the help of her consorts, [she] carried off the following goods of her said lady; viz. […] four striped muslin night-rails very little frayed; […]
- Everything told of long use and quiet slow decay; the very bell-rope in the porch was frayed into a fringe, and hoary with old age.
To force or make (a path, way, etc.) through.
To bruise (someone or something)
To bruise (someone or something); also, to take the virginity of (someone, usually a female person); to deflower.
- [T]his ſame Ladie Dryopee, the fayreſt Ladye tho / In all the land of Oechalye. Whom beeing then no mayd / (For why the God of Delos and of Delphos had her frayd) / Andræmon taketh too hys wyfe, and thinkes him well apayd.
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To become unravelled or worn
To become unravelled or worn; to unravel.
To rub.
- Another distance, I do not know how far, of dry dark heather continually fraying against my knees, is traversed, when in front appears a coombe, overgrown with heather from summit to foot, and I stop suddenly.
Of a person's mental strength, nerves, temper, etc.
Of a person's mental strength, nerves, temper, etc.: to become exhausted or worn out.
- The hectic day ended in her nerves frayed.
A consequence of rubbing, unravelling, or wearing away
A consequence of rubbing, unravelling, or wearing away; a fraying; also, a place where fraying has occurred.
- The laces frayed at the cut end.
- "And pray, sir, what do [you] think of Miss Morland's gown?" / "It is very pretty, madam," said he, gravely examining it; "but I do not think it will wash well; I am afraid it will fray."
- [T]here's no woman made without a flaw; / Your purest lawns have frays, and cambrics bracks.
To alarm or frighten (someone or something).
- VVhy Dame (quoth he) vvhat hath ye thus diſmayd? / VVhat frayes ye, that vvere vvont to comfort me affrayd?
Often followed by away, off, or out
Often followed by away, off, or out: to frighten or scare (someone or something) away.
- VVhat, are the turtles fraid out of their neaſts?
- And the carkeiſes of this people ſhall be meate for the fowles of the heauen, and for the beaſts of the earth, and none ſhall fray them away.
- It [the basilisk] frayeth avvay other Serpents vvith the hiſſing.
To assail or attack (someone or something)
To assail or attack (someone or something); to drive (someone or something) away by attacking.
To chase (someone or something) away
To chase (someone or something) away; to disperse.
- And this is it, that frayeth men from Chriſt, becauſe they are loath to vunder go his burthen and yoke, to caſt of the world, & leuing thẽſeluen behind thẽ to follow Chriſt.
- Svveet Phoſpher bring the day, / Thy light vvill fray / Theſe horrid Miſts; […]
To be afraid or frightened
To be afraid or frightened; to fear.
To make an assault or attack
To make an assault or attack; also, to create a disturbance; to brawl, to fight.
- Then next is the Clinke, a Goale or Priſon for the Treſpaſſers in thoſe parts, namely, in old time for ſuch as ſhould brabble, fray, or break the peace on the ſaid Bank, or in the Brothel Houſes; […]
A noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting
A noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; a brawl, a fight; also, a loud quarrel.
- Though they did not know the reason for the dispute, they did not hesitate to leap into the fray.
A heated argument
A heated argument; a war of words.
Conflict, disagreement.
An assault or attack.
A loud noise
A loud noise; a cacophony, a din.
- Where window is open, cat maketh a fray, / yet wilde cat with two legs is worse by my fay.
Fright, terror
Fright, terror; (countable) an instance of this.
- Thus that fray vvas over, and vve came aſhore again: recovered of the fright vve had been in.
To bear the expense of (something)
To bear the expense of (something); to defray.
- [T]he charge of my moſt curious, and coſtly ingredients fraide, amounting to ſome ſeaventeene thouſand crovvnes, a trifle in reſpect of health, vvriting your noble name in my Catalogue, I ſhall acknovvledge my ſelfe amply ſatisfi'd.
A surname.
The neighborhood
- neighboraffricate
- neighbordentifrice
- neighborfricative
- neighborfriction
- neighboraffray
Derived
antifray, frayable, frayed, fraying, frayproof, nonfraying, unfrayed, above the fray, frayboggard, make-fray
Vish — recursive loop
No curated loop yet for fray. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.
sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA