affray

American  

[uh-frey] / əˈfreɪ /

noun

1. a public fight; a noisy quarrel; brawl.

   Synonyms:

   melee, altercation, fracas, row

2. Law. the fighting of two or more persons in a public place.

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verb (used with object)

1. Archaic. to frighten.

affray British  

/ əˈfreɪ /

noun

1. law a fight, noisy quarrel, or disturbance between two or more persons in a public place

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verb

1. archaic (tr) to frighten

Etymology

Origin of affray

1275–1325; Middle English < Anglo-French afray (noun), afrayer (v.), Old French esfrei (noun), esfreer (v.) < Vulgar Latin *exfridāre to break the peace, equivalent to ex- ex- ¹ + -frid- peace (< Germanic; compare German Friede ) + -āre infinitive suffix

Example Sentences

Stokes was charged with and later cleared of affray.

From BBC

According to the professional standards department, officers later reclassified the affray as two assaults - one with Theo as a victim and one as an offender - which he did not know and had not admitted to.

From BBC

Another man, 31, was arrested on Monday on suspicion of affray.

From BBC

The 34-year-old experienced extreme media scrutiny in 2017 when he was charged with affray following an incident outside a Bristol nightclub.

From BBC

The Metropolitan Police said it had made 14 arrests for offences including breaching Public Order Act conditions, affray and supporting a proscribed group.

From BBC