• enPR: frā, IPA: /fɹeɪ/

fray (frays, present participle fraying; past and past participle frayed)

1. (ambitransitive) To (cause to) unravel; used particularly for the edge of something made of cloth, or the end of a rope.

   The ribbon frayed at the cut end.

2. (intransitive, figuratively) To cause exhaustion, wear out (a person's mental strength).

   The hectic day ended in frayed nerves. (Metaphorical use; nerves are visualised as strings)

3. (transitive, archaic) frighten; alarm
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), imprinted at London: By Robert Barker, […], OCLC 964384981 ↗, Jeremiah 7:33 ↗:

     And the carcases of this people shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall fray them away.

   • 1662, Henry More, An Antidote Against Atheism, Book II, A Collection of Several Philosophical Writings of Dr. Henry More, p. 63:

     "Besides, all the wit and Philosophy in the world can never demonstrate, that the killing and slaughtering of a Beast is anymore then the striking of a Bush where a Bird's Nest is, where you fray away the Bird, and then seize upon the empty Nest."

   • What frays ye, that were wont to comfort me affrayed?

4. (transitive) To bear the expense of; to defray.

   • The charge of my most curious and costly ingredients frayed, I shall acknowledge myself amply satisfied.

5. (intransitive) To rub.
   • RQ

• friction
• fricative
• affricate
• dentifrice

• French: effilocher
• German: ausfransen
• Portuguese: desfiar
• Russian: распуска́ться
• Spanish: deshilacharse

• French: user
• German: aufreiben, zermürben
• Russian: изна́шиваться
• Spanish: desgastar

• Spanish: costear

fray (plural frays)

1. A fight or argument

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

   • c. 1591–1595, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act III, scene i]:

     Who began this bloody fray?

2. (archaic) Fright.

• affray

• French: bagarre, combat
• German: Schlacht, Schlägerei, Auseinandersetzung, Prügelei, Rauferei, Kampf, Prügelei, Rauferei, Getümmel
• Italian: agone, baruffa, mischia
• Portuguese: refrega, briga
• Russian: дра́ка
• Spanish: combate, riña, batalla

1. Surname