definitions

affray

[ uh-frey ]
/ əˈfreɪ /
||
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noun

a public fight; a noisy quarrel; brawl.
Law. the fighting of two or more persons in a public place.

verb (used with object)

Archaic. to frighten.

RELATED WORDS

disturbance, riot, clash, melee, brawl, ruckus, scuffle, skirmish, assault, altercation, fracas, battle, attack, encounter, quarrel, donnybrook

Nearby words

affordable, affordable care act, afforest, afforestation, affranchise, affray, affrayer, affreight, affreightment, affricate, affrication

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
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for affray

British Dictionary definitions for affray

affray

/ (əˈfreɪ) /

noun

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

verb

(tr) archaic to frighten

Word Origin for affray

C14: via Old French from Vulgar Latin exfridāre (unattested) to break the peace; compare German Friede peace
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012