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Word Study
fray
CIDE DICTIONARY
fray, n. [Abbreviated from affray.].
An angry quarrel; an affray; contest; combat; broil. [1913 Webster]
"Who began this bloody fray?" [1913 Webster]
To frighten; to terrify; to alarm. I. Taylor. [1913 Webster]
"What frays ye, that were wont to comfort me affrayed?" [1913 Webster]
To bear the expense of; to defray. [1913 Webster]
"The charge of my most curious and costly ingredients frayed, I shall acknowledge myself amply satisfied." [1913 Webster]
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 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. [1913 Webster]
fray, v. i.
- To rub. [1913 Webster]"We can show the marks he made
When 'gainst the oak his antlers frayed." [1913 Webster] - 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. [1913 Webster]"A suit of frayed magnificience." [1913 Webster]
fray, n.
A fret or chafe, as in cloth; a place injured by rubbing. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
fray, 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.
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.
fray, n.
1 conflict, fighting (eager for the fray).
2 a noisy quarrel or brawl.
1 conflict, fighting (eager for the fray).
2 a noisy quarrel or brawl.
Etymology
ME f. fray to quarrel f. affray (v.) (as AFFRAY)
THESAURUS
fray
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, wrenchROGET THESAURUS
fray
Contention
N contention, strife, contest, contestation, struggle, belligerency, opposition, controversy, polemics, debate, war of words, logomachy, litigation, paper war, high words, sparring, competition, rivalry, corrivalry, corrivalship, agonism, concours, match, race, horse racing, heat, steeple chase, handicap, regatta, field day, sham fight, Derby day, turf, sporting, bullfight, tauromachy, gymkhana, boat race, torpids, wrestling, greco-roman wrestling, pugilism, boxing, fisticuffs, the manly art of self-defense, spar, mill, set-to, round, bout, event, prize fighting, quarterstaff, single stick, gladiatorship, gymnastics, jiujitsu, jujutsu, kooshti, sumo, athletics, athletic sports, games of skill, shindy, fracas, clash of arms, tussle, scuffle, broil, fray, affray, affrayment, velitation, colluctation, luctation, brabble, brigue, scramble, melee, scrimmage, stramash, bushfighting, free fight, stand up fight, hand to hand, running fight, conflict, skirmish, rencounter, encounter, rencontre, collision, affair, brush, fight, battle, battle royal, combat, action, engagement, joust, tournament, tilt, tilting, tournay, list, pitched battle, death struggle, struggle for life or death, life or death struggle, Armageddon, hard knocks, sharp contest, tug of war, naval engagement, naumachia, sea fight, duel, duello, single combat, monomachy, satisfaction, passage d'armes, passage of arms, affair of honor, triangular duel, hostile meeting, digladiation, deeds of arms, feats of arms, appeal to arms, pugnacity, combativeness, bone of contention, contending, together by the ears, at loggerheads, at war, at issue, competitive, rival, belligerent, contentious, combative, bellicose, unpeaceful, warlike, quarrelsome, pugnacious, pugilistic, gladiatorial, palestric, palestrical, a verbis ad verbera, a word and a blow, a very pretty quarrel as it stands, commune periculum concordiam parit, lis litem generat.Friction
VB rub, scratch, scrape, scrub, slide, fray, rasp, graze, curry, scour, polish, rub out, wear down, gnaw, file, grind, set one's teeth on edge, rosin.Also see definition of "fray" in Bible Study Dictionaries
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