FRAY, noun [Latin fractura, from frango, frico.] 1. A boil, quarrel or violent riot, that puts men in fear. This is the vulgar word for affray, and the sense seems to refer the word to Fr. effrayer. 2. A combat; a battle; also, a single combat or duel. 3. A contest; contention. 4. A rub; a fret or chafe in cloth; a place injured by rubbing. FRAY, verb transitive To fright; to terrify. obsolete FRAY, verb transitive [Latin frico, to rub.] 1. To rub; to fret, as cloth by wearing. 2. To rub; as, a deer frays his head.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI