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.

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').

Topics