fray

[ frey ]

/ freɪ /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR fray ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a fight, battle, or skirmish.

a competition or contest, especially in sports.

a noisy quarrel or brawl.

Archaic. fright.

verb (used with object)

Archaic. to frighten.

verb (used without object)

Archaic. to fight or brawl.

Origin of fray

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English frai; aphetic variant of affray

SYNONYMS FOR fray

1 altercation, combat, war, clash, encounter, set-to.

2 tournament, match, meet, tourney.

3 fight, dispute, tiff, spat, squabble; riot, fracas, tussle, rumpus.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR fray ON THESAURUS.COM

historical usage of fray

“I joined the fray, and proceeded to fray my clothes.” What we have here are two completely different words that happen to be spelled (and pronounced) the same way. This is the story of the first fray, a word for a fight, a competition, or a noisy brawl.
This fray was borrowed into English from an Anglo-French word with the various meanings “to disturb,” “to attack,” and also “to frighten.” The past participle of this same word ( affrayed, meaning “alarmed”) became, in English, afraid.
While nowadays frays are things that people willingly “enter” or “join” or even “throw themselves into,” early in its history the fear aspect dominated. And so, in the 1300s, one could speak of frayes and dredes (fears and dreads) and in the 1500s, one might find a fray-boggard (fear-goblin) in the garden, a frightening specter better known to us as a scarecrow.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH fray

frays , phrase

Words nearby fray

Fraunhofer, Fraunhofer lines, Fravashi, frawzey, fraxinella, fray, Fray Bentos, Frayn, Frazer, Frazier, Frazier-Spiller operation

Definition for fray (2 of 2)

fray²

[ frey ]

/ freɪ /

verb (used with object)

to wear (cloth, rope, etc.) to loose, raveled threads or fibers at the edge or end; cause to ravel out: Our old washing machine frayed all of our towels.

to wear by rubbing (sometimes followed by through).

to cause strain on (something); upset; discompose: All that arguing is fraying my nerves.

to rub.

verb (used without object)

to wear into loose, raveled threads or fibers, as cloth; ravel out: My sweater frayed at the elbows.

to become strained or stressed: Jealousy could be a sign that your relationship is fraying.

to rub against something: tall grass fraying against my knees.

noun

a raveled or worn part, as in cloth: frays at the toes of well-worn sneakers.

Origin of fray

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English fraien, from Old French frayer, freiier “to rub,” from Latin fricāre; see friction

SYNONYMS FOR fray

1 ravel, tatter, wear out, become threadbare.

3 irritate, stress, chafe, grate on.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR fray ON THESAURUS.COM

historical usage of fray

This is the story of the second fray, a word that means to cause deterioriation or wear on something, usually material, by rubbing it. Metaphorically, this can apply to less tangible things, such as our nerves or our tempers.
This fray is closely related to the word friction, as both have as a common ancestor the Latin fricāre, meaning “to rub.” It makes sense—given enough friction, things will begin to fray. But language isn’t always so neat. One early sense of fray that existed in the 1400s, but which has since fallen out of use, meant “to bruise” (as in, with our strokes we shall fray him ). In a translation of Ovid’s Metamorphoses dating from the 1500s, this very same sense in a different context is used to mean “deflower” (deprive of virginity). Can we connect the dots from rub to bruise to deflower? Therein lies the rub.

OTHER WORDS FROM fray

frayed, adjective

Dictionary.com UnabridgedBased on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for fray

As the title suggests, Above the Clouds is about Jornet’s lifelong journey to rise above the fray, not just as an elite competitor but as an individual trying to find his moral bearing in a world that pulls him in other directions.
Kilian Jornet Has a New Book on His Epic Everest Quest|Nick Heil|September 29, 2020|Outside Online
Most of all, Gandhi says, she wants to rise above the fray and inform.
The Importance of Face Masks and the Tragedy of Downplaying Them - Issue 90: Something Green|Kevin Berger|September 23, 2020|Nautilus
Of course, with Disney, NBCUniversal and ViacomCBS each operating their own ad-supported streamers, and Discovery and WarnerMedia primed to join the fray, the advertisers could simply redirect their dollars within the TV network groups.
How the future of TV and streaming has – and hasn’t – been reshaped so far by 2020|Tim Peterson|September 16, 2020|Digiday
Democratic ideologies like free access to news and funding journalism are being flung back and forth in the fray.
State of play: Where the battle with Google and Facebook to pay for news is hottest|Lucinda Southern|September 7, 2020|Digiday

Kennedy spoke to Fortune about her decision to enter the political fray, Congress’s need for more lawmakers who understand technology, and her centrist worldview.
Brynne Kennedy could be the first female tech founder to serve in Congress|ehinchliffe|August 24, 2020|Fortune
Abramson, biting her tongue, was widely portrayed in rival outlets as classily above the fray.
The Bloodiest Media Coups of 2014|Lloyd Grove|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Many more German divisions would enter the fray over the next few days.
Hitler’s Hail Mary|James A. Warren|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It is not at all hard to anticipate additional forces—Turkmens and others—joining the fray in the future.
The Nuclear Deal That Iran’s Regime Fears Most|Djavad Khadem|November 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As is often the case when the letter and the spirit of the law begin to fray, legal creativity gets called upon to mend them.
Catholic University’s Harvey Milk Ban Reflects A Church In Transition|Jay Michaelson|October 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As soon as the government announced the sad story, for example, conspiracy theorists jumped into the fray.
Measles Vaccine Mix-Up Kills Dozens of Syrian Children|Kent Sepkowitz|September 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The first act of the committee was to try a Mexicana who had been foremost in the fray.
The Shirley Letters from California Mines in 1851-52|Louise Amelia Knapp Smith Clappe
The æsthetic philosophy was wearing thin; it had already begun to fray and reveal its essential shabbiness.
Modern British Poetry|Various
When near enough to speak, Fray Pedro stopped, and stood patiently waiting for a moment when he might catch the navigator's eye.
Mercedes of Castile|J. Fenimore Cooper
Peggy and Betty grinned back at Carolyn, but settled themselves to watch the fray.
Betty Lee, Freshman|David Goodger (goodger@python.org)
Set and Horus were bitter enemies, yet Set did not dare to enter the fray openly, for he feared Horus as evil must ever fear good.
Myths and Legends of Ancient Egypt|Lewis Spence

British Dictionary definitions for fray (1 of 2)

fray¹

/ (freɪ) /

noun

a noisy quarrel

a fight or brawl

an archaic word for fright

verb archaic

(tr) to frighten

Word Origin for fray

C14: short for affray

British Dictionary definitions for fray (2 of 2)

fray²

/ (freɪ) /

verb

to wear or cause to wear away into tatters or loose threads, esp at an edge or end

to make or become strained or irritated

to rub or chafe (another object) or (of two objects) to rub against one another

noun

a frayed place, as in cloth

Word Origin for fray

C14: from French frayer to rub, from Latin fricāre; see friction, friable

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with fray

fray

see enter the lists (fray).

单词	fray
释义	fray ¹ [ frey ] / freɪ / SEE SYNONYMS FOR fray ON THESAURUS.COM noun a fight, battle, or skirmish. a competition or contest, especially in sports. a noisy quarrel or brawl. Archaic. fright. verb (used with object) Archaic. to frighten. verb (used without object) Archaic. to fight or brawl. Origin of fray ¹ First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English frai; aphetic variant of affray SYNONYMS FOR fray 1 altercation, combat, war, clash, encounter, set-to. 2 tournament, match, meet, tourney. 3 fight, dispute, tiff, spat, squabble; riot, fracas, tussle, rumpus. SEE SYNONYMS FOR fray ON THESAURUS.COM historical usage of fray “I joined the fray, and proceeded to fray my clothes.” What we have here are two completely different words that happen to be spelled (and pronounced) the same way. This is the story of the first fray, a word for a fight, a competition, or a noisy brawl. This fray was borrowed into English from an Anglo-French word with the various meanings “to disturb,” “to attack,” and also “to frighten.” The past participle of this same word ( affrayed, meaning “alarmed”) became, in English, afraid. While nowadays frays are things that people willingly “enter” or “join” or even “throw themselves into,” early in its history the fear aspect dominated. And so, in the 1300s, one could speak of frayes and dredes (fears and dreads) and in the 1500s, one might find a fray-boggard (fear-goblin) in the garden, a frightening specter better known to us as a scarecrow. WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH fray frays , phrase Words nearby fray Fraunhofer, Fraunhofer lines, Fravashi, frawzey, fraxinella, fray, Fray Bentos, Frayn, Frazer, Frazier, Frazier-Spiller operation Definition for fray (2 of 2) fray² [ frey ] / freɪ / verb (used with object) to wear (cloth, rope, etc.) to loose, raveled threads or fibers at the edge or end; cause to ravel out: Our old washing machine frayed all of our towels. to wear by rubbing (sometimes followed by through). to cause strain on (something); upset; discompose: All that arguing is fraying my nerves. to rub. verb (used without object) to wear into loose, raveled threads or fibers, as cloth; ravel out: My sweater frayed at the elbows. to become strained or stressed: Jealousy could be a sign that your relationship is fraying. to rub against something: tall grass fraying against my knees. noun a raveled or worn part, as in cloth: frays at the toes of well-worn sneakers. Origin of fray ² First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English fraien, from Old French frayer, freiier “to rub,” from Latin fricāre; see friction SYNONYMS FOR fray 1 ravel, tatter, wear out, become threadbare. 3 irritate, stress, chafe, grate on. SEE SYNONYMS FOR fray ON THESAURUS.COM historical usage of fray This is the story of the second fray, a word that means to cause deterioriation or wear on something, usually material, by rubbing it. Metaphorically, this can apply to less tangible things, such as our nerves or our tempers. This fray is closely related to the word friction, as both have as a common ancestor the Latin fricāre, meaning “to rub.” It makes sense—given enough friction, things will begin to fray. But language isn’t always so neat. One early sense of fray that existed in the 1400s, but which has since fallen out of use, meant “to bruise” (as in, with our strokes we shall fray him ). In a translation of Ovid’s Metamorphoses dating from the 1500s, this very same sense in a different context is used to mean “deflower” (deprive of virginity). Can we connect the dots from rub to bruise to deflower? Therein lies the rub. OTHER WORDS FROM fray frayed, adjective Dictionary.com UnabridgedBased on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020 Example sentences from the Web for fray As the title suggests, Above the Clouds is about Jornet’s lifelong journey to rise above the fray, not just as an elite competitor but as an individual trying to find his moral bearing in a world that pulls him in other directions. Kilian Jornet Has a New Book on His Epic Everest Quest\|Nick Heil\|September 29, 2020\|Outside Online Most of all, Gandhi says, she wants to rise above the fray and inform. The Importance of Face Masks and the Tragedy of Downplaying Them - Issue 90: Something Green\|Kevin Berger\|September 23, 2020\|Nautilus Of course, with Disney, NBCUniversal and ViacomCBS each operating their own ad-supported streamers, and Discovery and WarnerMedia primed to join the fray, the advertisers could simply redirect their dollars within the TV network groups. How the future of TV and streaming has – and hasn’t – been reshaped so far by 2020\|Tim Peterson\|September 16, 2020\|Digiday Democratic ideologies like free access to news and funding journalism are being flung back and forth in the fray. State of play: Where the battle with Google and Facebook to pay for news is hottest\|Lucinda Southern\|September 7, 2020\|Digiday Kennedy spoke to Fortune about her decision to enter the political fray, Congress’s need for more lawmakers who understand technology, and her centrist worldview. Brynne Kennedy could be the first female tech founder to serve in Congress\|ehinchliffe\|August 24, 2020\|Fortune Abramson, biting her tongue, was widely portrayed in rival outlets as classily above the fray. The Bloodiest Media Coups of 2014\|Lloyd Grove\|December 22, 2014\|DAILY BEAST Many more German divisions would enter the fray over the next few days. Hitler’s Hail Mary\|James A. Warren\|December 20, 2014\|DAILY BEAST It is not at all hard to anticipate additional forces—Turkmens and others—joining the fray in the future. The Nuclear Deal That Iran’s Regime Fears Most\|Djavad Khadem\|November 22, 2014\|DAILY BEAST As is often the case when the letter and the spirit of the law begin to fray, legal creativity gets called upon to mend them. Catholic University’s Harvey Milk Ban Reflects A Church In Transition\|Jay Michaelson\|October 3, 2014\|DAILY BEAST As soon as the government announced the sad story, for example, conspiracy theorists jumped into the fray. Measles Vaccine Mix-Up Kills Dozens of Syrian Children\|Kent Sepkowitz\|September 18, 2014\|DAILY BEAST The first act of the committee was to try a Mexicana who had been foremost in the fray. The Shirley Letters from California Mines in 1851-52\|Louise Amelia Knapp Smith Clappe The æsthetic philosophy was wearing thin; it had already begun to fray and reveal its essential shabbiness. Modern British Poetry\|Various When near enough to speak, Fray Pedro stopped, and stood patiently waiting for a moment when he might catch the navigator's eye. Mercedes of Castile\|J. Fenimore Cooper Peggy and Betty grinned back at Carolyn, but settled themselves to watch the fray. Betty Lee, Freshman\|David Goodger (goodger@python.org) Set and Horus were bitter enemies, yet Set did not dare to enter the fray openly, for he feared Horus as evil must ever fear good. Myths and Legends of Ancient Egypt\|Lewis Spence British Dictionary definitions for fray (1 of 2) fray¹ / (freɪ) / noun a noisy quarrel a fight or brawl an archaic word for fright verb archaic (tr) to frighten Word Origin for fray C14: short for affray British Dictionary definitions for fray (2 of 2) fray² / (freɪ) / verb to wear or cause to wear away into tatters or loose threads, esp at an edge or end to make or become strained or irritated to rub or chafe (another object) or (of two objects) to rub against one another noun a frayed place, as in cloth Word Origin for fray C14: from French frayer to rub, from Latin fricāre; see friction, friable Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Idioms and Phrases with fray fray see enter the lists (fray). The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Words related to fray melee, fracas, unravel, erode, frazzle, wear away, disturbance, riot, combat, clash, rumble, brawl, engagement, ruckus, scuffle, affray, contest, rumpus, broil, quarrel
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fray

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Origin of fray

SYNONYMS FOR fray

historical usage of fray

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH fray

Words nearby fray

Definition for fray (2 of 2)

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

noun

Origin of fray

SYNONYMS FOR fray

historical usage of fray

OTHER WORDS FROM fray

Example sentences from the Web for fray

British Dictionary definitions for fray (1 of 2)

noun

verb archaic

Word Origin for fray

British Dictionary definitions for fray (2 of 2)

verb

noun

Word Origin for fray

Idioms and Phrases with fray

Words related to fray