noun · countable / uncountable · rare

affray

affray · affrays

The act of suddenly disturbing anyoneThe act of suddenly disturbing anyone; an assault or attack.

/əˈfɹeɪ/

Meaning

4 senses

(countable, uncountable)The act of suddenly disturbing anyone; an assault or attack.
(countable, uncountable)A tumultuous assault or quarrel.
noisy quarrel
(countable, uncountable)The fighting of two or more persons, in a public place, to the terror of others.
The affray in the busy marketplace caused great terror and disorder.
(countable, obsolete, uncountable)Terror.

Origin

From Middle English affraien (“to terrify, frighten”), borrowed from Anglo-Norman afrayer

From Middle English affraien (“to terrify, frighten”), borrowed from Anglo-Norman afrayer (“to terrify, disquiet, disturb”) and Old French effreer, esfreer (“to disturb, remove the peace from”) (compare modern French effrayer), from Vulgar Latin *exfridāre.

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