fray

present singular third person frays · participle present fraying · participle past frayed · past frayed

1. alsofigurativelytransitiveTo rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction; also, to irritate (something) through chafing or rubbing; to chafe.

   Everything told of long use and quiet slow decay; the very bell-rope in the porch was frayed into a fringe, and hoary with old age.

   1840 April – 1841 November, Charles Dickens, “Chapter the Seventeenth”, in The Old Curiosity Shop. A Tale. […], volume I, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1841, →OCLC, page 182

   3 more examples

   S. Paul alſo defineth the law to be the knowlege of ſyn, yͭ is, which accuſeth, frayeth the cõſcience, & maketh ſynnes knowen.

   1538, Erasmus Sarcerius, “Of the Lawe of God”, in Richard Taverner, transl., Cõmon Places of Scripture Ordrely and after a Cõpendious Forme of Teachyng, Set Forth with No Litle Labour, […], London: […] John Byddell, […], →OCLC, folio lxv, recto

   [W]ith the help of her consorts, [she] carried off the following goods of her said lady; viz. […] four striped muslin night-rails very little frayed; […]

   1710 November 12 (Gregorian calendar), Isaac Bickerstaff [et al., pseudonyms; Richard Steele], “Wednesday, November 2, 1710”, in The Tatler, number 245; republished in [Richard Steele], editor, The Tatler, […], London stereotype edition, volume III, London: I. Walker and Co.; […], 1822, →OCLC, page 309

   It was a little past mid-day when the four-horse stage-coach by which I was a passenger, got into the ravel of traffic frayed out about the Cross-Keys, Wood-street, Cheapside, London.

   1860 December – 1861 August, Charles Dickens, chapter I, in Great Expectations […], volume III, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published October 1861, →OCLC, page 1

   1. alsofigurativelyspecificallytransitiveOf a deer: to rub (its antlers or head) against a tree, etc., to remove the velvet from antlers or to mark territory; also, to rub its antlers against (a tree, etc.) for that purpose.
2. transitiveTo force or make (a path, way, etc.) through.
3. obsoletetransitiveTo bruise (someone or something); also, to take the virginity of (someone, usually a female person); to deflower.

   [T]his ſame Ladie Dryopee, the fayreſt Ladye tho / In all the land of Oechalye. Whom beeing then no mayd / (For why the God of Delos and of Delphos had her frayd) / Andræmon taketh too hys wyfe, and thinkes him well apayd.

   1567, Ovid, “The Ninth Booke”, in Arthur Golding, transl., The XV. Bookes of P. Ouidius Naso, Entytuled Metamorphosis, […], London: […] Willyam Seres […], →OCLC, folio 115, verso

4. intransitiveTo become unravelled or worn; to unravel.

   Synonyms: frazzle

5. intransitiveTo rub.

   Another distance, I do not know how far, of dry dark heather continually fraying against my knees, is traversed, when in front appears a coombe, overgrown with heather from summit to foot, and I stop suddenly.

   1884, Richard Jefferies, “Wild Exmoor”, in Red Deer, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., →OCLC, page 29

   Synonyms: frazzle

   1. intransitivespecificallyOf a deer: to rub its antlers against a tree, etc., to remove the velvet or to mark territory.

      And foresters have busy been, / To track the buck in thicket green; / […] / We can shew the marks he made, / When ’gainst the oak his antlers fray’d; […]

      1820, Walter Scott, “[Miscellaneous Poems.] Hunting Song”, in The Poetical Works of Walter Scott, Esq. […], volume XII, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Company] for Arch[ibald] Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown; and John Murray, →OCLC, page 122

      2 more examples

      His [a hart's] head when it commeth firſt out, hath a ruſſet pyll vpon it, the which is called Veluet,[…]. When his head is growne out to the full bigneſſe, then he rubbeth of that pyll, and that is called fraying of his head.

      1575, Jacques du Fouilloux, “Of the Termes of Venery”, in George Gascoigne, transl., The Noble Art of Venerie or Hunting. […], London: […] Thomas Purfoot, published 1611, →OCLC, page 244

      Towards the end of July the harbourer begins to look round after the stags and notice their whereabouts. They are then fraying, rubbing the velvet off their new horns against the trees. He observes where the signs of fraying first appear, indicating that a full-grown stag is in the neighbourhood, as the best stags usually fray earliest.

      1884, Richard Jefferies, “Tracking Deer by Slot”, in Red Deer, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., →OCLC, page 112

      Synonyms: frazzle

6. figurativelyintransitiveOf a person's mental strength, nerves, temper, etc.: to become exhausted or worn out.

   The hectic day ended in her nerves frayed.

   Synonyms: frazzle

plural frays

1. archaicintransitiveobsoleteA consequence of rubbing, unravelling, or wearing away; a fraying; also, a place where fraying has occurred.

   The laces frayed at the cut end.

   3 more examples

   "And pray, sir, what do [you] think of Miss Morland's gown?" / "It is very pretty, madam," said he, gravely examining it; "but I do not think it will wash well; I am afraid it will fray."

   1803 (date written), [Jane Austen], chapter III, in Northanger Abbey; published in Northanger Abbey: And Persuasion. […], volume I, London: John Murray, […], 20 December 1817 (indicated as 1818), →OCLC, pages 38–39

   [T]here's no woman made without a flaw; / Your purest lawns have frays, and cambrics bracks.

   c. 1613 (date written; published 1630), Thomas Middleton, “A Chaste Maid in Cheapside”, in A[rthur] H[enry] Bullen, editor, The Works of Thomas Middleton […] (The English Dramatists), volume V, London: John C. Nimmo […], published 1885, →OCLC, Act I, scene i, page 7, lines 34–35

   'Tis like a Lawnie-Firmament as yet / Quite diſpoſſeſt of either fray, or fret.

   1648, Robert Herrick, “To the Fever, Not to Trouble Julia”, in Hesperides: Or, The Works both Humane & Divine […], London: […] John Williams, and Francis Eglesfield, and are to be sold by Tho[mas] Hunt, […], →OCLC, page 91

   Synonyms: frazzle

present singular third person frays · participle present fraying · participle past frayed · past frayed · first person past singular frayed · archaic present second person singular frayest · past second person singular frayed · archaic past second person singular frayedst · present singular third person frays · archaic present singular third person frayeth · past singular third person frayed · past plural frayed · past subjunctive frayed · participle present fraying · participle past frayed

1. archaicobsoletetransitiveexcept poeticTo alarm or frighten (someone or something).

   VVhy Dame (quoth he) vvhat hath ye thus diſmayd? / VVhat frayes ye, that vvere vvont to comfort me affrayd?

   1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 52, page 18

   3 more examples

   But ſoone as they approcht vvith deadly threat, / The Palmer ouer them his ſtaffe vpheld, / […] Inſtead of fraying, they them ſelues did feare, / And trembled, as them paſſing they beheld: / Such vvondrous povvre did in that ſtaffe appeare, / All monſters to ſubdevv to him, that did it beare.

   1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto XII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 40, page 373

   When every least commander’s will, best soldiers had obey’d, / And both the hosts were rang’d for fight, the Trojans would have fray’d / The Greeks with noises; crying out, in coming rudely on / At all parts, like the cranes that fill with harsh confusion / Of brutish clangour all the air; […]

   [1611?], Homer, “Book III”, in Geo[rge] Chapman, transl., The Iliads of Homer Prince of Poets. […], London: […] Nathaniell Butter, →OCLC; republished as The Iliads of Homer, Prince of Poets, […], new edition, volume I, London: Charles Knight and Co., […], 1843, →OCLC, page 80

   [M]y warnings fray / No one, and no one they convert, / And no one helps me to assert / How hard it is to really be / A Christian, and in vacancy / I pour this story!

   1850, Robert Browning, “Easter-Day. Stanza XIII.”, in Christmas-Eve and Easter-Day. A Poem, London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC, page 102

   Synonyms: affray, effray

2. archaicobsoletetransitiveOften followed by away, off, or out: to frighten or scare (someone or something) away.

   VVhat, are the turtles fraid out of their neaſts?

   c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act V, scene ii

   5 more examples

   And the carkeiſes of this people ſhall be meate for the fowles of the heauen, and for the beaſts of the earth, and none ſhall fray them away.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Jeremiah 7:33, column 1

   It [the basilisk] frayeth avvay other Serpents vvith the hiſſing.

   1626, [Samuel] Purchas, “Relations of the Regions and Religions in Africa. […]”, in Purchas His Pilgrimes. […], 5th part, London: […] William Stansby for Henrie Fetherstone, […], →OCLC, 6th book, § III (Of Crocodiles, Serpents, and Other Strange Creatures), page 624

   Beſides, all the vvit and Philoſophy in the vvorld can never demonſtrate, that the killing and ſlaughtering of a Beaſt is any more then the ſtriking of a Buſh vvhere a birds Neſt is, vvhere you fray avvay the Bird, and then ſeize upon the empty Neſt.

   1653, Henry More, “The Usefullnesse of Animalls an Argument of Divine Providence”, in An Antidote against Atheisme, or An Appeal to the Natural Faculties of the Minde of Man, whether There Be Not a God, London: […] Roger Daniel, […], →OCLC, book II, page 77

   Whoso casteth a stone at the birds frayeth them away; and he that upbraideth his friend, breaketh friendship.

   1711 May 28 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison; Richard Steele et al.], “THURSDAY, May 18, 1711”, in The Spectator, number 68; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume I, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC, page 415

   Hovv fares it vvith him in the court of conſcience? […] Can he fray off the vultur from his breaſt, that night and day is gnavving his heart, and vvounding it vvith ghaſtly and amazing reflexions?

   a. 1717 (date written), Robert South, “Sermon VII. Romans xii. 18.”, in Five Additional Volumes of Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions. […], volume X, London: […] Charles Bathurst, […], published 1744, →OCLC, page 232

   Synonyms: affray

3. archaicbroadlyobsoletetransitiveTo assail or attack (someone or something); to drive (someone or something) away by attacking.
4. archaicbroadlyobsoletetransitiveTo chase (someone or something) away; to disperse.

   Svveet Phoſpher bring the day, / Thy light vvill fray / Theſe horrid Miſts; […]

   1635, Fra[ncis] Quarles, “Canto XIV. Psal[m] XIII. III.”, in Emblemes, London: […] G[eorge] M[iller] and sold at at Iohn Marriots shope […], →OCLC, book I, stanza 2, page 57

   1 more example

   And this is it, that frayeth men from Chriſt, becauſe they are loath to vunder go his burthen and yoke, to caſt of the world, & leuing thẽſeluen behind thẽ to follow Chriſt.

   1583, Bartimeus Andreas [i.e., Bartimaeus Andrewes], “Canticles. 6.”, in Certaine Verie Worthie, Godly and Profitable Sermons, upon the Fifth Chapiter of the Songs of Solomon: […], London: […] Robert Waldegraue, for Thomas Man, →OCLC, page 35

5. archaicintransitiveobsoleteTo be afraid or frightened; to fear.
6. archaicintransitiveobsoleteTo make an assault or attack; also, to create a disturbance; to brawl, to fight.

   Then next is the Clinke, a Goale or Priſon for the Treſpaſſers in thoſe parts, namely, in old time for ſuch as ſhould brabble, fray, or break the peace on the ſaid Bank, or in the Brothel Houſes; […]

   1657, Jam. Howel [i.e., James Howell], “Of the Twenty Sixth, or the Last Ward of the City of London, Called the Bridge-ward Without, Containing the Bourough of Southwark”, in Londinopolis; an Historicall Discourse or Perlustration of the City of London, the Imperial Chamber, and Chief Emporium of Great Britain: […], London: […] J[ohn] Streater, for Henry Twiford, George Sawbridge, Thomas Dring, and John Place, […], →OCLC, page 337

plural frays

1. archaiccountableobsoleteA noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; a brawl, a fight; also, a loud quarrel.

   Though they did not know the reason for the dispute, they did not hesitate to leap into the fray.

   4 more examples

   Pry[nce]: VVhere be the vile beginners of this fray? / Ben[volio]: Ah Noble Prince I can diſcouer all / The moſt vnlucky mannage of this bravvle. / […] Pry: Speake Benuolio vvho began this fray? / Ben: Tibalt heere ſlaine vvhom Romeos hand did ſlay.

   c. 1591–1595 (date written), [William Shakespeare], […] Romeo and Juliet. […] (First Quarto), London: […] Iohn Danter, published 1597, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]

   I for my part have been in the fray before novv, and though (through the goodneſs of him that is beſt) I am as you ſee alive: yet I cannot boaſt of my manhood. Glad ſhall I be, if I meet vvith no more ſuch brunts, though I fear vve are not got beyond all danger.

   1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], London: […] Nath[aniel] Ponder […], →OCLC, page 178

   Wigan, unbeaten in five games at the DW Stadium, looked well in control but the catalyst for Arsenal's improvement finally came when [Abou] 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.

   2010 December 29, Mark Vesty, “Wigan 2 – 2 Arsenal”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 09 Jun 2021

   Carlos Fuller, Belize’s ambassador to the UN, said: “I can understand why the king was asked not to attend – keeping him out of the fray. However, as the principal UK policymaker and the Cop26 president, the PM should have led the summit.

   2022 October 30, Fiona Harvey, quoting Carlos Fuller, “Global anger at Sunak’s Cop27 snub that raises fears over UK’s climate crisis stance”, in The Guardian

2. archaiccountablefigurativelyobsoleteA heated argument; a war of words.
3. archaicobsoleteuncountableConflict, disagreement.

   It is the chafing of the lion, and the stirring of the viper, that aggravates the danger; the first blow makes the wrong, but the second makes the fray; and they that will endure no kind of abuse in state or church, are many times more dangerous than that abuse which they oppose.

   a. 1632 (date written), John Donne, “Sermon XCIX. Preached at Lincoln’s Inn. The Second Sermon on Matthew xviii. 7.”, in Henry Alford, editor, The Works of John Donne, D.D., […], volume IV, London: John W[illiam] Parker, […], published 1839, →OCLC, page 306

   1 more example

   [W]hen the conteſt is by the proud Man againſt the humble Man, the ſtrife is quickly at an end: it is a true Proverb, It is the ſecond blovv makes the fray: the humble Man gives vvay to the vvrath and inſolence of the proud Man, and thereby ends the quarrel; for Yielding pacifieth vvrath, ſaith the VViſe Man [Ecclesiastes 10:4], […]

   1676, [Matthew Hale], “Of Humility, Its Opposite Vices, Benefits, & Means to Acquire It”, in Contemplations Moral and Divine. […], London: […] William Godbid, for William Shrowsbury […], and John Leigh […], →OCLC, pages 344–345

4. archaiccountableobsoleteAn assault or attack.

   Synonyms: affray

5. archaiccountableobsoleteA loud noise; a cacophony, a din.

   Where window is open, cat maketh a fray, / yet wilde cat with two legs is worse by my fay.

   1878, Thomas Tusser, “Huswifely Admonitions”, in Five Hundred Pointes of Good Husbandrie. […], London: Published for the English Dialect Society by Trübner & Co., […], →OCLC; republished as W[illiam] Payne, Sidney J[ohn Hervon] Herrtage, editors, Five Hundred Pointes of Good Husbandrie. […], London: Published for the English Dialect Society by Trübner & Co., […], 1878, →OCLC, stanza 4, page 168

6. archaicobsoleteuncountableexcept ScotlandFright, terror; (countable) an instance of this.

   Thus that fray vvas over, and vve came aſhore again: recovered of the fright vve had been in.

   1699, William Dampier, “The Country of Achin Described: […]”, in Voyages and Descriptions. Vol. II. […], London: […] James Knapton, […], →OCLC, part I (His Voyage from Achin in Sumatra, to Tonquin, […]), page 148

   Synonyms: affray

present singular third person frays · participle present fraying · participle past frayed · past frayed

1. archaicobsoleteraretransitiveTo bear the expense of (something); to defray.

   [T]he charge of my moſt curious, and coſtly ingredients fraide, amounting to ſome ſeaventeene thouſand crovvnes, a trifle in reſpect of health, vvriting your noble name in my Catalogue, I ſhall acknovvledge my ſelfe amply ſatisfi'd.

   1631 (first performance), Philip Massinger, The Emperour of the East. A Tragæ-comœdie. […], London: […] Thomas Harper, for Iohn Waterson, published 1632, →OCLC, Act IV, scene iii

plural Frays

1. A surname.