Adjacent Words

Fray definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

FRAY, n. [L. fractura, from frango, frico.]
1. A boil, quarrel or violent riot, that puts men in fear. This is the vulgar word for affray, and the sense seems to refer the word to Fr. effrayer.
2. A combat; a battle; also, a single combat or duel.
3. A contest; contention.
4. A rub; a fret or chafe in cloth; a place injured by rubbing.
FRAY, v.t. To fright; to terrify. Obs.
FRAY, v.t. [L. frico, to rub.]
1. To rub; to fret, as cloth by wearing.
2. To rub; as, a deer frays his head.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a noisy fight [syn: affray, disturbance, fray, ruffle] v
1: wear away by rubbing; "The friction frayed the sleeve" [syn: fray, frazzle]
2: cause friction; "my sweater scratches" [syn: rub, fray, fret, chafe, scratch]

Merriam Webster's

I. transitive verb Etymology: Middle English fraien, short for affraien to affray Date: 14th century archaic scare; also to frighten away II. noun Date: 14th century a usually disorderly or protracted fight, struggle, or dispute III. verb Etymology: Middle English fraien, from Anglo-French freier, froier to rub, from Latin fricare — more at friction Date: 15th century transitive verb 1. a. to wear (as an edge of cloth) by or as if by rubbing ; fret b. to separate the threads at the edge of 2. strain, irritate <tempers became a bit frayed> intransitive verb 1. to wear out or into shreds 2. to show signs of strain <fraying nerves> IV. noun Date: 1630 a raveled place or worn spot (as on fabric)

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. v. 1 tr. & intr. wear through or become worn, esp. (of woven material) unweave at the edges. 2 intr. (of nerves, temper, etc.) become strained; deteriorate. Etymology: F frayer f. L fricare rub 2. n. 1 conflict, fighting (eager for the fray). 2 a noisy quarrel or brawl. Etymology: ME f. fray to quarrel f. affray (v.) (as AFFRAY)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Fray Fray, v. i. 1. To rub. We can show the marks he made When 'gainst the oak his antlers frayed. --Sir W. Scott. 2. To wear out or into shreads, or to suffer injury by rubbing, as when the threads of the warp or of the woof wear off so that the cross threads are loose; to ravel; as, the cloth frays badly. A suit of frayed magnificience. --tennyson.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Fray Fray, n. A fret or chafe, as in cloth; a place injured by rubbing.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Fray Fray (fr[=a]), n. [Abbreviated from affray.] Affray; broil; contest; combat. Who began this bloody fray? --Shak.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Fray Fray, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Frayed (fr[=a]d); p. pr. & vb. n. Fraying.] [See 1st Fray, and cf. Affray.] To frighten; to terrify; to alarm. --I. Taylor. What frays ye, that were wont to comfort me affrayed? --Spenser.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Fray Fray, v. t. [Cf. OF. fraier. See Defray, v. t.] To bear the expense of; to defray. [Obs.] The charge of my most curious and costly ingredients frayed, I shall acknowledge myself amply satisfied. --Massinger.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Fray Fray, v. t. [OF. freier, fraier, froier, to rub. L. fricare; cf. friare to crumble, E. friable; perh. akin to Gr. chri`ein to anoint, chri^sma an anointing, Skr. gh[.r]sh to rub, scratch. Cf. Friction.] To rub; to wear off, or wear into shreds, by rubbing; to fret, as cloth; as, a deer is said to fray her head.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(frays, fraying, frayed) 1. If something such as cloth or rope frays, or if something frays it, its threads or fibres start to come apart from each other and spoil its appearance. The fabric is very fine or frays easily... The stitching had begun to fray at the edges... Her washing machine tends to fray edges on intricate designs. ...fraying edges in the stair carpet... He wore frayed jeans and cowboy shirts. VERB: V, V at n, V n, V-ing, V-ed 2. If your nerves or your temper fray, or if something frays them, you become nervous or easily annoyed because of mental strain and anxiety. Tempers began to fray as the two teams failed to score... This kind of living was beginning to fray her nerves. VERB: V, V n 3. The fray is an exciting or challenging activity, situation, or argument that you are involved in. There will have to be a second round of voting when new candidates can enter the fray... He would be inspiring young people to get into the political fray. N-SING: the N

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

fra (haradh, "to make afraid," "cause to tremble": the King James Version of De 28:26; Jer 7:33; Zec 1:21; the Revised Version (British and American) "frighten," "terrify").

See WAR.

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. n. 1. Combat, battle, fight. 2. Broil, quarrel, riot, contention. See affray. II. v. a. Rub, wear, fret, chafe.

Moby Thesaurus

ablate, abrade, abrase, abrasion, action, aerial combat, affray, altercation, armored combat, bark, battle, battle royal, blemish, bloody, brawl, break, broil, brush, bullfight, burn, chafe, check, chip, clash, clash of arms, claw, cockfight, combat, concussion, conflict, contention, crack, crackle, craze, cut, discord, dispute, dissension, disturbance, dogfight, donnybrook, embroilment, erase, erode, exchange of blows, fight, file, fire fight, flash burn, fracas, fracture, frazzle, fret, gall, gash, gnaw, gnaw away, grate, graze, grind, ground combat, hand-to-hand combat, hand-to-hand fight, house-to-house combat, hurt, incise, incision, injure, injury, lacerate, laceration, lesion, maim, make mincemeat of, maul, melee, mortal wound, mutilate, mutilation, naval combat, passage of arms, pierce, pitched battle, puncture, quarrel, rasp, ravel, raze, rend, rent, rip, row, rub, rub away, rub off, rub out, ruckus, ruction, rumble, rumpus, run, running fight, rupture, savage, scald, scorch, scotch, scour, scramble, scrape, scratch, scrimmage, scrub, scuff, scuffle, second-degree burn, shoving match, shred, skin, skirmish, slash, slit, sore, sprain, stab, stab wound, stand-up fight, stick, strain, street fight, strife, struggle, tatter, tauromachy, tear, third-degree burn, trauma, traumatize, tug-of-war, tussle, unravel, wear, wear away, wear down, wear off, wear out, wear ragged, wear thin, weather, wound, wounds immedicable, wrangle, wrench