US /əˈfreɪ/ UK /əˈfreɪ/
noun

Meanings

  1. 1
    noun

    a noisy public fight or brawl disturbing the peace

    Two men were arrested after the affray outside the tavern.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 noun · a noisy public fight or... brawlfrayfightmeleefracasscuffleskirmishdisturbance
Opposites
Word family
Related forms frayafraidaffright

Etymology

From Middle English affraien ('to frighten, disturb'), from Old French effreer, esfreer ('to disturb, frighten'), from Vulgar Latin *exfridare, from Latin ex- ('out of') + Frankish *frithu ('peace'); originally 'to startle out of peace'.

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