fret

fret
\ \ English has three separate words fret. Fretirritate, distress’ [OE] goes back to a prehistoric Germanic compound verb formed from the intensive prefix *fra- and the verb *etan (ancestor of English eat), which meant ‘eat up, devour’. Its modern Germanic descendants include German fresseneat’ (used of animals).
\ \ In Old English, it gave fretan, which also meant ‘devour’, but this literal meaning had died out by the early 15th century, leaving the figurative ‘gnaw at, worry, distress’. Fretdecorate with interlaced or pierced design’ [14] (now usually encountered only in fretted, fretwork, and fretsaw) comes from Old French freter, a derivative of fretetrellis, embossed or interlaced work’, whose origins are obscure.
\ \ Also lost in the mists of time are the antecedents of fretridge across the fingerboard of a guitar’ [16].
\ \ Cf.EAT

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • fret — fret …   Dictionnaire des rimes

  • fret — [ frɛ(t) ] n. m. • XIIIe; néerl. vrecht 1 ♦ Prix du transport des marchandises par mer, et par ext. par air ou par route. ♢ Prix de location d un navire. ⇒ nolis. 2 ♦ Loc. À FRET : en louant le bâtiment servant au transport des marchandises.… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Fret — (fr[e^]t), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Fretted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Fretting}.] [OE. freten to eat, consume; AS. fretan, for foretan; pref. for + etan to eat; akin to D. vreten, OHG. frezzan, G. fressen, Sw. fr[ a]ta, Goth. fra itan. See {For}, and {Eat} …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Fret — Fret, n. 1. Ornamental work in relief, as carving or embossing. See {Fretwork}. [1913 Webster] 2. (Arch.) An ornament consisting of small fillets or slats intersecting each other or bent at right angles, as in classical designs, or at oblique… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • fret — fret1 [fret] vt. fretted, fretting [ME freten < OE fretan, to devour, akin to Ger fressen, Goth fra itan < Gmc prefix * fra (OE for : see FOR ) + * itan, to eat (OE etan: see EAT)] 1. to eat away; gnaw 2. to wear away by gnawing, rubbing,… …   English World dictionary

  • Fret — Fret, n. 1. The agitation of the surface of a fluid by fermentation or other cause; a rippling on the surface of water. Addison. [1913 Webster] 2. Agitation of mind marked by complaint and impatience; disturbance of temper; irritation; as, he… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • fret — Ⅰ. fret [1] ► VERB (fretted, fretting) 1) be constantly or visibly anxious. 2) gradually wear away by rubbing or gnawing. ► NOUN chiefly Brit. ▪ a state of anxiety. ORIGIN Old …   English terms dictionary

  • Fret — Fret, v. t. [OE. fretten to adorn, AS. fr[ae]twan, fr[ae]twian; akin to OS. fratah[=o]n, cf. Goth. us fratwjan to make wise, also AS. fr[ae]twe ornaments, OS. fratah[=i] adornment.] To ornament with raised work; to variegate; to diversify. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Fret — Fret, n. [F. frette a saltire, also a hoop, ferrule, prob. a dim. of L. ferrum iron. For sense 2, cf. also E. fret to rub.] 1. (Her.) A saltire interlaced with a mascle. [1913 Webster] 2. (Mus.) A short piece of wire, or other material fixed… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Fret — kann mehrere Bedeutungen haben. der Geschäftsbereich des Güterbahnverkehrs der französischen Staatsbahn SNCF Bund, ein Element von Saiteninstrumenten, wird auch fret genannt. dazu: Frets on Fire fretless Förster Resonanzenergietransfer oder auch… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • fret — [v1] worry, be annoyed affront, agonize, anguish, bleed, bother, brood, carp, carry a heavy load*, chafe, chagrin, distress oneself, eat one’s heart out*, fume, fuss, get into a dither*, grieve, lose sleep over*, mope*, pother*, stew, sweat it… …   New thesaurus

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