fray

¹

[ frey ]

noun

1. a fight, battle, or skirmish.

   Synonyms: war, strife, encounter, clash, contest, conflict, combat

2. a competition or contest, especially in sports.

   Synonyms: tourney, meet, tournament, match

3. a noisy quarrel or brawl.

   Synonyms: fracas, riot, squabble, spat, set-to, tiff, dispute, fight, altercation, melee, tussle

4. Archaic. fright.

verb (used with object)

1. Archaic. to frighten.

verb (used without object)

1. Archaic. to fight or brawl.

fray

²

[ frey ]

verb (used with object)

1. to wear (cloth, rope, etc.) to loose, raveled threads or fibers at the edge or end; cause to ravel out:

   Our old washing machine frayed all of our towels.

   Synonyms: tatter, ravel, wear out

2. to wear by rubbing (sometimes followed by through ).
3. to cause strain on (something); upset; discompose:

   All that arguing is fraying my nerves.

   Synonyms: chafe, stress, irritate

4. to rub.

verb (used without object)

1. to wear into loose, raveled threads or fibers, as cloth; ravel out:

   My sweater frayed at the elbows.

2. to become strained or stressed:

   Jealousy could be a sign that your relationship is fraying.

3. to rub against something:

   tall grass fraying against my knees.

noun

1. a raveled or worn part, as in cloth:

   frays at the toes of well-worn sneakers.

fray

¹

/ freɪ /

verb

1. to wear or cause to wear away into tatters or loose threads, esp at an edge or end
2. to make or become strained or irritated
3. to rub or chafe (another object) or (of two objects) to rub against one another

noun

1. a frayed place, as in cloth

fray

²

/ freɪ /

noun

1. a noisy quarrel
2. a fight or brawl
3. an archaic word for fright

verb

1. tr to frighten

Other Words From

• frayed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of fray¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English frai; shortening of affray

Origin of fray²

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English fraien, from Old French frayer, freiier “to rub,” from Latin fricāre; friction

Word History and Origins

Origin of fray¹

C14: from French frayer to rub, from Latin fricāre ; see friction , friable

Origin of fray²

C14: short for affray

Idioms and Phrases

see enter the lists (fray) .

Example Sentences

More than 8,800 candidates are in the fray in an election marked by a low-key campaign.

From BBC

It turns out that when a lot of people join the fray, that creates a feeling of controlled but wholesome chaos that resembles what Twitter felt like to some of its earlier addicts around, say, 2014 or 2015.

From Slate

Finally Tele'a, forced back into the fray on 66 minutes by an injury to Beauden Barrett having been replaced, pirouetted through Ford's tackle and held off Harry Randall to dot down.

From BBC

Here is some background on how they came to stand at the doorstep of a fray 5,000 miles from home — and what the ramifications might be for the region and the wider world.

From Los Angeles Times

In the days after Upton’s arrest, her mind continued to fray.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• erode
• frazzle
• unravel
• wear away