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Consult Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, The Chambers Thesaurus (1996) or Chambers Biographical Dictionary (1997 edition with amendments). Enter your search and choose your title from the drop-down menu.
fret1 verb (fretted, fretting) 1 intrans (also fret about or over something) to worry, especially unnecessarily; to show or express anxiety. 2 to wear something away or consume something by rubbing or erosion.
ETYMOLOGY: Anglo-Saxon fretan to gnaw, from etan to eat.
fret2 noun any of the narrow metal ridges across the neck of a guitar or similar musical instrument, onto which the strings are pressed in producing the various notes.
ETYMOLOGY: 16c: probably from fret3.
fret3 noun a type of decoration for a cornice, border, etc, consisting of lines which (usually) meet at right angles, the pattern being repeated to form a continuous band. verb (fretted, fretting) to decorate something with a fret, or carve with fretwork.
ETYMOLOGY: 14c: from French frete interlaced design, probably influenced by Anglo-Saxon fraetwa ornament.
fret4 noun, NE Eng dialect a cold sea mist or fog off the North Sea. Also called haar.
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Consult Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, The Chambers Thesaurus (1996) or Chambers Biographical Dictionary (1997 edition with amendments). Enter your search and choose your title from the drop-down menu.
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