fraist

F4R1A1I1S1T1

verb

To try; test; prove; put to the proof; make trial (of).

OriginMiddle English fraisten ← Old Norse freista ← Proto-Germanic *fraistōną →
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Meanings

verbfraist (third-person singular simple present fraists, present participle fraisting, simple past and past participle fraisted)

present singular third person fraists · participle present fraisting · participle past fraisted · past fraisted

  1. UKambitransitivedialectalobsoleteTo try; test; prove; put to the proof; make trial (of).

    Þen found he no frekes to fraist on his strenght.

    1540, Destruction of Troy
  2. UKdialectalobsoletetransitiveTo learn by trial; experience.
  3. obsoletetransitiveTo seek to learn; ask; inquire.
  4. obsoletetransitiveTo seek; be eager for; desire.
  5. intransitiveobsoleteTo go forth on an expedition; sally forth.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*per-“to try, risk”
  2. Proto-Germanic*fraistōną“to try”
  3. Old Norsefreista“to try, tempt, make trial of”
  4. Middle Englishfraisten
  5. Englishfraist

From Middle English fraisten, freisten, frasten, from Old Norse freista (“to try, tempt, make trial of”), from Proto-Germanic *fraistōną (“to try”), from Proto-Indo-European *per- (“to try, risk”). Cognate with Icelandic freista (“to tempt”), Swedish fresta (“to try, tempt, tantalise”), Danish friste (“to try, tempt”), Old English frāsian (“to ask, inquire, tempt, try”). More at fraise.

More words from Middle English, Old Norse, Proto-Germanic

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

tafsirSafrit
Cite this entry
APA

fraist. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fraist

MLA

“fraist.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fraist. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “fraist,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fraist.

Source: fraist on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.