WordWeight : Weighing the Words

Pronunciation : Af*fray"
Part of Speech : v. t. [p. p. Affrayed.]
Etymology : [OE. afraien, affraien, OF. effreer, esfreer, F. effrayer, orig. to disquiet, put out of peace, fr. L. ex + OHG. fridu peace (akin to E. free). Cf. Afraid, Fray, Frith inclosure.] [Archaic]
Definition : 1. To startle from quiet; to alarm. Smale foules a great heap That had afrayed [affrayed] me out of my sleep. Chaucer.

2. To frighten; to scare; to frighten away. That voice doth us affray. Shak.


Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913

Pronunciation : Af*fray"
Part of Speech : n.
Etymology : [OE. afrai, affrai, OF. esfrei, F. effroi, fr. OF. esfreer. See Affray, v. t.]
Definition : 1. The act of suddenly disturbing any one; an assault or attack. [Obs.]

2. Alarm; terror; fright. [Obs.] Spenser.

3. A tumultuous assault or quarrel; a brawl; a fray. "In the very midst of the affray." Motley.

4. (Law)

Defn: The fighting of two or more persons, in a public place, to the terror of others. Blackstone.

Note: A fighting in private is not, in a legal sense, an affray.

Syn. -- Quarrel; brawl; scuffle; encounter; fight; contest; feud; tumult; disturbance.


Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913