Library / English Dictionary

FRAY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A noisy fight

Synonyms:

affray; disturbance; fray; ruffle

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("fray" is a kind of...):

combat; fight; fighting; scrap (the act of fighting; any contest or struggle)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Cause friction

Example:

my sweater scratches

Synonyms:

chafe; fray; fret; rub; scratch

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "fray" is one way to...):

adjoin; contact; meet; touch (be in direct physical contact with; make contact)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Something ----s somebody

Sense 2

Meaning:

Wear away by rubbing

Example:

The friction frayed the sleeve

Synonyms:

fray; frazzle

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "fray" is one way to...):

break; bust; fall apart; wear; wear out (go to pieces)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Credits

 Context examples: 

At every jump too, Hands appeared still more to sink into himself and settle down upon the deck, his feet sliding ever the farther out, and the whole body canting towards the stern, so that his face became, little by little, hid from me; and at last I could see nothing beyond his ear and the frayed ringlet of one whisker.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

You could not observe that from here, but if you were on the mantelpiece you would see that it is cut clean off without any mark of fraying whatever.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It was certainly more roomy than the ordinary four-wheeled disgrace to London, and the fittings, though frayed, were of rich quality.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“It is of import,” said he, “for I love to keep my hair well ordered, seeing that the weight of my helmet for thirty years hath in some degree frayed it upon the top.”

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

This end, which we can examine, is frayed.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Nay, Aylward, said Alleyne, laying his hand upon the sleeve of his companion's frayed jerkin, you cannot think me so thrall as to throw aside an old friend because I have had some small share of good fortune.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Then he carefully scrutinized the broken and frayed end where it had snapped off when the burglar had dragged it down.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Back and forward reeled the leopard banner, now borne up the slope by the rush and weight of the onslaught, now pushing downwards again as Sir Nigel, Burley, and Black Simon with their veteran men-at arms, flung themselves madly into the fray.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Then I lashed her in her chair, and frayed out the end of the rope to make it look natural, else they would wonder how in the world a burglar could have got up there to cut it.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

By the crescent upon it, it should be the second son of old Sir Hugh, who had a bolt through his ankle at the intaking of Romorantin, he having rushed into the fray ere his squire had time to clasp his solleret to his greave.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)