- fray
- [[t]fre͟ɪ[/t]]
frays, fraying, frayed1) V-ERG If something such as cloth or rope frays, or if something frays it, its threads or fibres start to come apart from each other and spoil its appearance.
The fabric is very fine or frays easily...
[V at n] The stitching had begun to fray at the edges...
[V n] Her washing machine tends to fray edges on intricate designs.
[V-ing] ...fraying edges in the stair carpet...
[V-ed] He wore frayed jeans and cowboy shirts.
2) V-ERG If your nerves or your temper fray, or if something frays them, you become nervous or easily annoyed because of mental strain and anxiety.Tempers began to fray as the two teams failed to score...
[V n] This kind of living was beginning to fray her nerves.
Derived words:frayed ADJ-GRADEDNerves became severely frayed when air traffic problems delayed the flight.
3) N-SING: the N The fray is an exciting or challenging activity, situation, or argument that you are involved in.There will have to be a second round of voting when new candidates can enter the fray...
He would be inspiring young people to get into the political fray.
4) PHRASE: V inflects If you say that something is fraying at the edges or is fraying around the edges, you mean that it has an uncertain or unsteady quality, for example because it is gradually being spoiled or destroyed.There are signs that the alliance is now fraying at the edges...
Their marriage is getting a little frayed around the edges...
The champion, too, looked frayed at the edges.
English dictionary. 2008.
