I. ˈfret verb
( fret·ted ; fret·ting )
Etymology: Middle English, to devour, fret, from Old English fretan to devour; akin to Old High German frezzan to devour, ezzan to eat — more at eat
Date: 12th century
transitive verb
1.
a. : to eat or gnaw into : corrode ; also : fray
b. : rub , chafe
c. : to make by wearing away a substance
the stream fretted a channel
2. : to cause to suffer emotional strain : vex
3. : to pass (as time) in fretting
4. : agitate , ripple
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to eat into something
b. : to affect something as if by gnawing or biting : grate
2.
a. : wear , corrode
b. : chafe
c. : fray 1
3.
a. : to become vexed or worried
b. of running water : to become agitated
II. noun
Date: 15th century
1.
a. : the action of wearing away : erosion
b. : a worn or eroded spot
2. : an agitation of mind : irritation
III. transitive verb
( fret·ted ; fret·ting )
Etymology: Middle English, back-formation from fret, fretted adorned, interwoven, from Anglo-French fretté, past participle of fretter to tie, probably from Vulgar Latin * firmitare, from Latin firmus firm
Date: 14th century
1.
a. : to decorate with interlaced designs
b. : to form a pattern upon
2. : to enrich with embossed or pierced carved patterns
IV. noun
Date: 14th century
1. : an ornamental network ; especially : a medieval metallic or jeweled net for a woman's headdress
2. : an ornament or ornamental work often in relief consisting of small straight bars intersecting one another in right or oblique angles
[
fret 2
]
V. noun
Etymology: perhaps from Middle French frete ferrule, from freter
Date: circa 1500
: one of a series of ridges fixed across the fingerboard of a stringed musical instrument (as a guitar)
• fret·less adjective
• fret·ted adjective
VI. transitive verb
( fret·ted ; fret·ting )
Date: 1602
: to press (the strings of a stringed instrument) against the frets