fray

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See also: Fray

English

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

From Middle English fraien, borrowed from Old French frayer, from Latin fricāre, present active infinitive of fricō.

Verb

fray (third-person singular simple present frays, present participle fraying, simple past and past participle frayed)

  1. (transitive, intransitive) To (cause to) unravel; used particularly for the edge of something made of cloth, or the end of a rope.
    The ribbon frayed at the cut end.
  2. (intransitive, figuratively) To cause exhaustion, wear out (a person's mental strength).
    The hectic day ended in frayed nerves. (Metaphorical use; nerves are visualised as strings)
  3. (transitive, archaic) frighten; alarm
    • Template:RQ:Authorized Version
      And the carcases of this people shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall fray them away.
    • 1662, Henry More, An Antidote Against Atheism, Book II, A Collection of Several Philosophical Writings of Dr. Henry More, p. 63:
      "Besides, all the wit and Philosophy in the world can never demonstrate, that the killing and slaughtering of a Beast is anymore then the striking of a Bush where a Bird's Nest is, where you fray away the Bird, and then seize upon the empty Nest."
    • (Can we date this quote by Spenser and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
      What frays ye, that were wont to comfort me affrayed?
    (Can we find and add a quotation of I. Taylor to this entry?)
  4. (transitive) To bear the expense of; to defray.
    • (Can we date this quote by Massinger and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
      The charge of my most curious and costly ingredients frayed, I shall acknowledge myself amply satisfied.
  5. (intransitive) To rub.
    • (Can we date this quote by Sir Walter Scott and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
      We can show the marks he made / When 'gainst the oak his antlers frayed.

Translations

Etymology 2

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(deprecated template usage) From Middle English frai, aphetic variant of affray.

Noun

fray (plural frays)

  1. A fight or argument
    Though they did not know the reason for the dispute, they did not hesitate to leap into the fray.
    • c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:
      Who began this bloody fray?
    • 2010 December 29, Mark Vesty, “Wigan 2 - 2 Arsenal”, in BBC‎[1]:
      Wigan, unbeaten in five games at the DW Stadium, looked well in control but the catalyst for Arsenal's improvement finally came when Diaby left the field with a calf injury and Jack Wilshere came into the fray, bringing some much needed determination and urgency to lacklustre Arsenal.
  2. (archaic) Fright.

Translations

Spanish

Etymology

Apocope of fraile (“friar”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈfɾai/ [ˈfɾai̯]

Noun

fray m (plural frayes)

  1. friar

Abbreviations

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