Fray

/fɹeɪ/ · verb

Meaning

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; also, to irritate (something) through chafing or rubbing; to chafe..

Definitions by Sense

1. 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; also, to irritate (something) through chafing or rubbing; to chafe.
2. To force or make (a path, way, etc.) through.
3. To bruise (someone or something); also, to take the virginity of (someone, usually a female person); to deflower.
4. To become unravelled or worn; to unravel.
5. To rub.
6. Of a person's mental strength, nerves, temper, etc.: to become exhausted or worn out.
7. A consequence of rubbing, unravelling, or wearing away; a fraying; also, a place where fraying has occurred.
8. To alarm or frighten (someone or something).

Example Sentences

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

[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; […]

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.

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.

[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.

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.

The hectic day ended in her nerves frayed.

The laces frayed at the cut end.

Synonyms for fray

Antonyms for fray

Related Words

Word Forms

• frays
• fraying
• frayed
• no-table-tags
• glossary
• fray
• frayest
• frayedst
• frayeth
• -

Usage Notes

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