fret 1
— fretter , n.
/fret/ , v. , fretted, fretting , n.
v.i.
1. to feel or express worry, annoyance, discontent, or the like: Fretting about the lost ring isn't going to help.
2. to cause corrosion; gnaw into something: acids that fret at the strongest metals.
3. to make a way by gnawing, corrosion, wearing away, etc.: The river frets at its banks until a new channel is formed.
4. to become eaten, worn, or corroded (often fol. by away ): Limestone slowly frets away under pounding by the wind and rain.
5. to move in agitation or commotion, as water: water fretting over the stones of a brook.
v.t.
6. to torment; irritate, annoy, or vex: You mustn't fret yourself about that.
7. to wear away or consume by gnawing, friction, rust, corrosives, etc.: the ocean fretting its shores.
8. to form or make by wearing away a substance: The river had fretted an underground passage.
9. to agitate (water): Strong winds were fretting the channel.
n.
10. an irritated state of mind; annoyance; vexation.
11. erosion; corrosion; gnawing.
12. a worn or eroded place.
[ bef. 900; ME freten, OE fretan to eat up, consume; c. OS fretan, Goth fraitan, OHG frezzan (G fressen ) ]
Syn. 1. fume, rage. 6. worry, harass, goad, tease. 7. erode, gnaw, corrode, abrade, grind, rub, rust. 10. harassment, agitation, worry.
fret 2
— fretless , adj.
/fret/ , n. , v. , fretted, fretting .
n.
1. an interlaced, angular design; fretwork.
2. an angular design of bands within a border.
3. Heraldry. a charge composed of two diagonal strips interlacing with and crossing at the center of a mascle.
4. a piece of decoratively pierced work placed in a clock case to deaden the sound of the mechanism.
v.t.
5. to ornament with a fret or fretwork.
[ 1350-1400; ME frette frete trellis-work, OE fretwian, var. of FRAETWIAN to adorn ]
fret 3
— fretless , adj.
/fret/ , n. , v. , fretted, fretting .
n.
1. any of the ridges of wood, metal, or string, set across the fingerboard of a guitar, lute, or similar instrument, which help the fingers to stop the strings at the correct points.
v.t.
2. to provide with frets.
[ 1490-1500; orig. uncert. ]