fray

Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

fray [fray frays frayed fraying] verb, noun BrE [freɪ] NAmE [freɪ]
verb
1. intransitive, transitive if cloth frays or sth frays it, the threads in it start to come apart
•The cuffs of his shirt were fraying.
•This material frays easily.
•~ sth It was fashionable to fray the bottoms of your jeans.
2. intransitive, transitive ~ (sth) if sb's nerves or ↑temper frays or sth frays them, the person starts to get irritated or annoyed
•As the debate went on, tempers began to fray.
Verb forms:

Word Origin:
v. late Middle English Old French freiier Latin fricare ‘to rub’ n. late Middle English fray ‘to quarrel’ affray ‘startle’ Anglo-Norman French afrayer ‘disturb, startle’ Germanic Old English frithu ‘peace, safety’
Idiom: ↑fray at the edges
Derived Word: ↑frayed
 
noun the fraysingular
a fight, a competition or an argument, especially one that is exciting or seen as a test of your ability
•They were ready for the fray.
•to enter/join the fray
•At 71, he has now retired from the political fray.

Word Origin:
v. late Middle English Old French freiier Latin fricare ‘to rub’ n. late Middle English fray ‘to quarrel’ affray ‘startle’ Anglo-Norman French afrayer ‘disturb, startle’ Germanic Old English frithu ‘peace, safety’
 

• Từ đồng nghĩa / Synonyms:
  affray, disturbance, ruffle, rub, fret, chafe, scratch, frazzle