- fray (n.)
- mid-14c., "feeling of alarm," shortening of affray (q.v.; see also afraid). Meaning "a brawl, a fight" is from early 15c. (but late 14c. in Anglo-Latin). Fraymaker "fighter, brawler" is an excellent word from a 1530s statute.
- fray (v.)
- "wear out by rubbing," c.1400, from Middle French frayer "to rub against," from Old French froiier "rub, scrape," from Latin fricare "to rub, rub down" (see friction). Related: Frayed; fraying.