affray

== English == === Alternative forms === afray === 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. The second part of this is in turn 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”). More at free, friend. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /əˈfɹeɪ/ Rhymes: -eɪ === 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. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== afraid === 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 [1] 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. (obsolete) Terror. ==== Synonyms ==== fray, brawl alarm, terror, fright ==== Related terms ==== fray ==== Translations ====