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affray. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
affray, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
affray in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
affray you have here. The definition of the word
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English
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Middle English affraien (“to terrify, frighten”), borrowed from Anglo-Norman afrayer (“to terrify, disquiet, disturb”) and Old French effreer, esfreer (“to disturb, remove the peace from”) (compare modern French effrayer), from Vulgar Latin *exfridāre or from es- (“ex-”) + freer (“to secure, secure the peace”), from Frankish *friþu (“security, peace”), from Proto-Germanic *friþuz (“peace”), from *frijōną (“to free; to love”), from Proto-Indo-European *prāy-, *prēy- (“to like, love”). Cognate with Old High German fridu (“peace”), Old English friþ (“peace, frith”), Old English frēod (“peace, friendship”), German Friede (“peace”). Compare also afear. More at free, friend.
Pronunciation
Verb
affray (third-person singular simple present affrays, present participle affraying, simple past and past participle affrayed)
- (archaic, transitive) To startle from quiet; to alarm.
- (archaic, transitive) To frighten; to scare; to frighten away.
c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :That voice doth us affray.
Derived terms
Related terms
Noun
affray (countable and uncountable, plural affrays)
- The act of suddenly disturbing anyone; an assault or attack.
- 2015, 8 November, "Rugby league journalist Gary Carter critically ill after Bethnal Green attack", BBC News
- A 22-year-old man was also arrested in connection with the incident for affray towards attending paramedics.
- A tumultuous assault or quarrel.
- The fighting of two or more persons, in a public place, to the terror of others.
The affray in the busy marketplace caused great terror and disorder.
- (obsolete) Terror.
Synonyms
Related terms
Translations
a sudden assault or quarrel