fray

fray · verb, noun¹

1. French · derived fromfrayer
2. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*bʰreyH-“to cut”
3. Latin · derived fromfricāre
4. Old French · derived fromfraier
5. Middle English · inherited fromfraien“to beat so as to cause bruising, to bruise; to crush; to rub; to wear, wear off”
6. English todayfray

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.

fray · verb²

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*preyH-“to love; to please”
2. Proto-Germanic · derived from*friþuz“peace, tranquility; refuge, sanctuary”
3. Frankish · derived from*friþu“peace”
4. Latin · derived fromex-
5. Vulgar Latin · derived from*exfridāre
6. Old French · derived fromeffreer
7. Anglo-Norman · derived fromaffraier
8. Middle English · inherited fromfraien“to attack, invade; to make an attack; to brawl, fight; to make a loud noise (?); to frighten, terrify; to be frightened of (something), fear”
9. English todayfray

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”)).

fray · noun³

1. Old French · derived fromeffreer
2. Old French · derived fromeffrei
3. Middle French · derived fromeffray
4. Anglo-Norman · derived fromaffrai
5. Middle English · inherited fromfrai“an assault, attack; a brawl, fight; disturbance, uproar; fine for assault or breach of the peace”
6. English todayfray

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.

fray · verb⁴

An aphetic variant of defray.

Words from the same roots