I. verb
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
sb's nerves are tattered/frayed/shattered (= they feel very nervous or worried )
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Everyone's nerves were frayed by the end of the week.
tempers get/become frayed British English (= people become annoyed )
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People were pushing each other, and tempers were becoming frayed.
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ NOUN
temper
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We had been waiting an hour, the temperature rising, tempers fraying .
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Their tempers are starting to fray .
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With tempers fraying , it was decided to return to the question today.
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It was on the second day that tempers , already frayed , finally ripped.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
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It was only three o'clock and tempers were already beginning to fray .
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
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Alyssia felt her temper begin to fray .
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Anyone working with Mr Gates must take decisions on the spot; studies and committees fray the billionaire's patience.
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They cut a zig-zag edge to prevent fraying.
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With basic needs in increasingly short supply, the social fabric of Cairo is showing signs of fraying.
II. noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADJECTIVE
political
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Lord Joseph is now 71, in the House of Lords and out of the political fray .
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He is said, despite his years, to be fit, lucid and raring to re-enter the political fray .
■ VERB
enter
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Gradually, the number of individual objectors prepared to enter the fray began to expand outside the initial handful.
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Home venture, will enter the fray next month.
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The field is being actively investigated and is at an exciting stage; computational chemists have entered the fray .
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But the outcome is neither random, nor completely orderly: probability has entered into the fray .
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Credit-card companies have entered the fray , offering an additional 15 to 20 percent off service charges if their card is used.
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This, he believed, would spur us on before we entered the fray .
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This, of course, was before the Denver Broncos and Buffalo Bills decided to enter the fray .
join
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Two Hearthwares, huge in their armour, lumbered over to join in the fray .
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Current students joined the fray as well.
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At that moment Nusbaum was hurrying back from another meeting to join the fray if he could.
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His friend van Rappard joined the fray , urging him to stay put, as he was doing.
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If they want to be part of the team they have to join the fray .
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What is slightly more unusual is that Congress has simultaneously joined the fray .
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
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Finally, Yusuf led into the fray his own Black Guards, consisting of 4000 men.
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He is shaken, and resolves to return to the fray .
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Kazanow grins sheepishly at the cheers before rejoining the fray below, the easy warmth between band and benefactor plainly apparent.
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Luckily, the boys heard the scuffle and ran out to throw themselves into the fray .
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The banquet recommenced but the fray had dampened and soured the atmosphere.
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Then King jumped into the fray and tried to persuade Republicans to replace Gingrich with Rep.
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Thousands of ordinary people were forced into the fray .