fray

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a noisy quarrel or fight; to wear or unravel at the edges

   He waded into the fray to separate the brawlers.

Simplified etymology

Fray represents two distinct words. The verb meaning “unravel” comes from Latin fricare, “to rub”; it first referred to deer rubbing velvet from their antlers in the late 16th century and acquired its modern sense in the early 18th century. The noun meaning “fight” is related to affray, from Old French afrayer, “to disturb or startle.”

In the sense 'fight, brawl', a shortening of affray (from Old French effreer, 'to disturb, frighten'); in the sense 'to wear or unravel', from Old French freier ('to rub'), from Latin fricare ('to rub').

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External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary