fraying
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fray 1
(frā)n.
1. A fight; a brawl. See Synonyms at brawl.
2. A heated dispute or intensely competitive situation: "Minneapolis became the latest battleground in the fray over bio-engineering as hundreds of protesters took to the streets" (Todd Wilkinson).
3. A military engagement; a battle.
tr.v. frayed, fray·ing, frays Archaic
1. To alarm; frighten.
2. To drive away.
[Middle English frai, shortening of affrai; see affray.]
fray 2
(frā)v. frayed, fray·ing, frays
v.tr.
1. To strain; chafe: repeated noises that fray the nerves.
2. To wear away (the edges of fabric, for example) by rubbing.
v.intr.
To become worn away or tattered along the edges.
n.
A frayed or threadbare spot, as on fabric.
[Middle English fraien, to wear, bruise, from Old French fraier, to rub, from Latin fricāre.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.