Advertisement
Advertisement
fret
1[ fret ]
verb (used without object)
- to feel or express worry, annoyance, discontent, or the like:
Fretting about the lost ring isn't going to help.
Synonyms: ,
- to cause corrosion; gnaw into something:
acids that fret at the strongest metals.
- to make a way by gnawing, corrosion, wearing away, etc.:
The river frets at its banks until a new channel is formed.
- to become eaten, worn, or corroded (often followed by away ):
Limestone slowly frets away under pounding by the wind and rain.
- to move in agitation or commotion, as water:
water fretting over the stones of a brook.
verb (used with object)
- to torment; irritate, annoy, or vex:
You mustn't fret yourself about that.
Synonyms: , , ,
- to wear away or consume by gnawing, friction, rust, corrosives, etc.:
the ocean fretting its shores.
Synonyms: , , , , ,
- to form or make by wearing away a substance:
The river had fretted an underground passage.
- to agitate (water):
Strong winds were fretting the channel.
fret
2[ fret ]
noun
- an interlaced, angular design; fretwork.
- an angular design of bands within a border.
- Heraldry. a charge composed of two diagonal strips interlacing with and crossing at the center of a mascle.
- a piece of decoratively pierced work placed in a clock case to deaden the sound of the mechanism.
verb (used with object)
- to ornament with a fret or fretwork.
fret
3[ fret ]
noun
- 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.
verb (used with object)
- to provide with frets.
fret
1/ ڰɛ /
verb
- to distress or be distressed; worry
- to rub or wear away
- to irritate or be irritated; feel or give annoyance or vexation
- to eat away or be eaten away by chemical action; corrode
- intr (of a road surface) to become loose so that potholes develop; scab
- to agitate (water) or (of water) to be agitated
- tr to make by wearing away; erode
noun
- a state of irritation or anxiety
- the result of fretting; corrosion
- a hole or channel caused by fretting
fret
2/ ڰɛ /
noun
- a repetitive geometrical figure, esp one used as an ornamental border
- such a pattern made in relief and with numerous small openings; fretwork
- heraldry a charge on a shield consisting of a mascle crossed by a saltire
verb
- tr to ornament with fret or fretwork
fret
3/ ڰɛ /
noun
- any of several small metal bars set across the fingerboard of a musical instrument of the lute, guitar, or viol family at various points along its length so as to produce the desired notes when the strings are stopped by the fingers
fret
4/ ڰɛ /
noun
- short for sea fret
Derived Forms
- ˈڰٱ, adjective
- ˈڰٱ, adjective
Other Word Forms
- ڰt noun
Word History and Origins
Origin of fret1
Origin of fret2
Origin of fret3
Word History and Origins
Origin of fret1
Origin of fret2
Origin of fret3
Example Sentences
And if that comes to pass, we’ll miss the days when we fretted over the price of eggs.
Gold has jumped to a fresh record high as investors fret over the impact of the trade war between the US and China.
Ms Watson said her older cat, who is 18 years old, was "fretting" without her.
Some in the advertising industry are already fretting because spending on their services are often to first to suffer when there are budget cutbacks.
European firms fret about their markets being flooded by cheap goods from non-EU countries that are also hit by Trump tariffs and seeking to sell elsewhere.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Browse