FRAY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does fray mean? 

• FRAY (noun)
  The noun FRAY has 1 sense:

1. a noisy fight

  Familiarity information: FRAY used as a noun is very rare.

• FRAY (verb)
  The verb FRAY has 2 senses:

1. wear away by rubbing

2. cause friction

  Familiarity information: FRAY used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FRAY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A noisy fight

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

affray; disturbance; fray; ruffle

Hypernyms ("fray" is a kind of...):

combat; fight; fighting; scrap (the act of fighting; any contest or struggle)

• FRAY (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they fray    ... he / she / it frays   
Past simple: frayed   
Past participle: frayed   
-ing form: fraying   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Wear away by rubbing

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

fray; frazzle

Context example:

The friction frayed the sleeve

Hypernyms (to "fray" is one way to...):

break; bust; fall apart; wear; wear out (go to pieces)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Cause friction

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

chafe; fray; fret; rub; scratch

Context example:

my sweater scratches

Hypernyms (to "fray" is one way to...):

adjoin; contact; meet; touch (be in direct physical contact with; make contact)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Something ----s somebody

 Context examples 

But the other end is not frayed.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“It is very pretty, madam,” said he, gravely examining it; “but I do not think it will wash well; I am afraid it will fray.”

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

You have also, no doubt, remarked that Miss Cushing has cut the cord with a scissors, as can be seen by the double fray on each side.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I saw something like them in Hampton Court, but there they were worn and frayed and moth-eaten.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

A frayed top-hat and a faded brown overcoat with a wrinkled velvet collar lay upon a chair beside him.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Then, during Juno's 22nd science pass, a new, smaller cyclone churned to life and joined the fray.

(NASA's Juno Navigators Enable Jupiter Cyclone Discovery, NASA)

A cheap cotton shirt, with frayed collar and a bosom discoloured with what I took to be ancient blood-stains, was put on me amid a running and apologetic fire of comment.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

A general laugh followed this sally at the dentist's expense, in the midst of which the gleeman placed his battered harp upon his knee, and began to pick out a melody upon the frayed strings.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Brissenden paused and ran an insolent eye over Martin's objective poverty, passing from the well-worn tie and the saw- edged collar to the shiny sleeves of the coat and on to the slight fray of one cuff, winding up and dwelling upon Martin's sunken cheeks.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

What else was it possible to infer from what you said, you unkind creature, when you know as well as I do, that on his account only last quarter I wouldn't buy myself a new parasol, though that old green one is frayed the whole way up, and the fringe is perfectly mangy?

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)