fray

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• General-American, Received-Pronunciation: frā
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• General-American, Received-Pronunciation: /fɹeɪ/
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• Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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• rhymes with -eɪ
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• CMU ARPABET: F R EY1 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
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The verb is derived from Late Middle English fraien (“to beat so as to cause bruising, to bruise; to crush; to rub; to wear, wear off”), borrowed from Old French fraier, freier, freiier (modern French frayer (“to clear, open up (a path, etc.); (figuratively) to find one’s way through (something); (obsolete) to rub”)), from Latin fricāre, the present active infinitive of fricō (“to chafe; to rub”), an intensive form of friō (“to break into pieces, crumble; to rub”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bhreyH- (“to cut”). Sense 1.2 (“to force or make (a path, way, etc.) through”) is derived from modern French frayer: see above. The noun is derived from the verb.

From Late Middle English frai (“an assault, attack; a brawl, fight; disturbance, uproar; fine for assault or breach of the peace”), an aphetic variant of affrai, effrai (“an assault, attack; a brawl, fight; disturbance, uproar; public disturbance, riot; dismay; fear; something frightening”), then: * from affraien (verb); and * from Anglo-Norman affrai, affrei [and other forms], a variant of effray, effrei, esfrei, esfroi, Middle French effray, esfroi, and Old French effrei, esfrei, esfroi (“breach of the peace, disturbance; noise; dread, terror”) (modern French effroi (“(literary) dread, terror”)), from Old French effreer, esfreer (verb). See further at etymology 2.

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”)).

An aphetic variant of defray.

137 source translations are retained for this English entry.

• Bulgarian: сбиване (sbivane) — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Bulgarian: стълкновение (stǎlknovenie) — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Bulgarian: свада (svada) — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Catalan: batussa — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Catalan: brega — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Catalan: baralla — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Czech: potyčka — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Czech: šarvátka — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Czech: rvačka — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Danish: slagsmål — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Finnish: riita — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Finnish: rähinä — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• French: bagarre — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• French: combat — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Galician: liorta — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Galician: riorta — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Galician: riora — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Galician: breiga — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Galician: baralla — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Galician: rifa — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Galician: gurra — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Galician: muada — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Galician: lía — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Galician: learada — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Galician: delatixo — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Galician: tarapuxo — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• German: Schlacht — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• German: Schlägerei — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• German: Auseinandersetzung — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• German: Prügelei — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• German: Rauferei — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• German: Kampf — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• German: Getümmel — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Greek: διαμάχη (diamáchi) — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Greek: σύρραξη (sýrraxi) — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Greek: συμπλοκή (symplokí) — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Hebrew: קטטה (k'tatá) — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Hebrew: תחרות (takharút) — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Irish: comhrac — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Italian: agone — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Italian: baruffa — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Italian: mischia — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Plautdietsch: Schläajarie — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Portuguese: refrega — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Portuguese: briga — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Russian: дра́ка (dráka) — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Russian: борьба́ (borʹbá) — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Russian: сраже́ние (sražénije) — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Russian: столкнове́ние (stolknovénije) — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Russian: сты́чка (stýčka) — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Russian: перепа́лка (perepálka) — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Spanish: combate — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Spanish: riña — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Spanish: batalla — noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; loud quarrel — see also brawl, fight
• Bulgarian: оръфвам (orǎfvam) — 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
• Catalan: desfilar-se — 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
• Catalan: esfilagarsar — 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
• Chinese Mandarin: 开线 (kāixiàn) — 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
• Czech: třepit — 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
• Czech: roztřepit — 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
• Dutch: ontrafelen — 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
• Finnish: liestyä — 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
• Finnish: harsuuntua — 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
• Finnish: purkaantua — 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
• Finnish: rispaantua — 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
• French: effilocher — 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
• Galician: esferpellar — 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
• Galician: esfiañar — 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
• Galician: esgarnachar — 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
• Galician: esmarfallar — 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
• Galician: esmilfar — 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
• Galician: esmilfallar — 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
• German: ausfransen — 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
• Hebrew: התבלה (hitbalá) — 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
• Hebrew: ריפט (ripét) — 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
• Hungarian: elkoptat — 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
• Hungarian: kikoptat — 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
• Hungarian: koptat — 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
• Hungarian: elnyű — 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
• Hungarian: kirojtosít — 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
• Māori: tāwekoweko — 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
• Norwegian: rakne — 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
• Occitan: desfilar — 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
• Occitan: desfilargar — 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
• Portuguese: desfiar — 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
• Russian: расплета́ться (raspletátʹsja) — 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
• Russian: распуска́ться (raspuskátʹsja) — 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
• Spanish: deshilachar — 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
• Spanish: desflecar — 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
• Spanish: deshilar — 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
• Spanish: desflocar — 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
• Spanish: destejer — 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
• Turkish: çözülmek — 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
• Ukrainian: торочитися (toročytysja) — 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
• Ukrainian: обтріпуватися (obtripuvatysja) — 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
• Ukrainian: пошарпатися (pošarpatysja) — 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
• Czech: třepit se — to become unravelled or worn
• Czech: roztřepit se — to become unravelled or worn
• Czech: rozplést se — to become unravelled or worn
• Hungarian: feslik — to become unravelled or worn
• Hungarian: felfeslik — to become unravelled or worn
• Hungarian: rojtosodik — to become unravelled or worn
• Hungarian: kirojtosodik — to become unravelled or worn
• Hungarian: kopik — to become unravelled or worn
• Hungarian: kikopik — to become unravelled or worn
• Hungarian: foszlik — to become unravelled or worn
• Hungarian: foszladozik — to become unravelled or worn
• Spanish: deshilacharse — to become unravelled or worn
• Spanish: destejerse — to become unravelled or worn
• Bulgarian: износвам (iznosvam) — to rub
• Bulgarian: протърквам (protǎrkvam) — to rub
• Czech: dřít — to rub
• Finnish: hieroa — to rub
• Galician: conroer — to rub
• Galician: esmoer — to rub
• Galician: luir — to rub
• Galician: relaer — to rub
• Hungarian: dörzsöl — to rub
• Hungarian: horzsol — to rub
• Czech: drásat — of a person’s mental strength, etc.: to become exhausted or worn out
• Finnish: raastaa hermoja — of a person’s mental strength, etc.: to become exhausted or worn out
• Finnish: uuvuttaa — of a person’s mental strength, etc.: to become exhausted or worn out
• Finnish: väsyttää — of a person’s mental strength, etc.: to become exhausted or worn out
• French: user — of a person’s mental strength, etc.: to become exhausted or worn out
• Galician: acomechar — of a person’s mental strength, etc.: to become exhausted or worn out
• German: aufreiben — of a person’s mental strength, etc.: to become exhausted or worn out
• German: zermürben — of a person’s mental strength, etc.: to become exhausted or worn out
• Hebrew: נשחק — of a person’s mental strength, etc.: to become exhausted or worn out
• Hebrew: שחק — of a person’s mental strength, etc.: to become exhausted or worn out
• Hungarian: felőrlődik — of a person’s mental strength, etc.: to become exhausted or worn out
• Hungarian: tönkremegy — of a person’s mental strength, etc.: to become exhausted or worn out
• Hungarian: idegeire megy — of a person’s mental strength, etc.: to become exhausted or worn out
• Norwegian: rakne — of a person’s mental strength, etc.: to become exhausted or worn out
• Russian: изна́шиваться (iznášivatʹsja) — of a person’s mental strength, etc.: to become exhausted or worn out
• Russian: обтрёпываться (obtrjópyvatʹsja) — of a person’s mental strength, etc.: to become exhausted or worn out
• Russian: вытира́ться (vytirátʹsja) — of a person’s mental strength, etc.: to become exhausted or worn out
• Spanish: desgastar — of a person’s mental strength, etc.: to become exhausted or worn out