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Vinony

affray

noun

  1. public order offence in many legal jurisdictions
L316103 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /əˈfɹeɪ/

noun

Etymology: 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. The second part of this is in turn from Frankish *friþu (“security, peace”), from Proto-Germanic *friþuz (“peace”), from *frijōną (“to free; to love”), from Proto-Indo-European *prāy-, *prēy- (“to like, love”). Cognate with Old High German fridu (“peace”), Old English friþ (“peace, frith”), Old English frēod (“peace, friendship”), German Friede (“peace”). More at free, friend.

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

    “A 22-year-old man was also arrested in connection with the incident for affray towards attending paramedics.”

  2. A tumultuous assault or quarrel.

    “The patient, who had a full view of the skirmish, was so tickled at the affray, that he burst into a laughter, which broke the quinsey, and cured him.”

  3. 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.”

  4. Terror.

    “full of ghastly fright and cold affray”

verb

Etymology: 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. The second part of this is in turn from Frankish *friþu (“security, peace”), from Proto-Germanic *friþuz (“peace”), from *frijōną (“to free; to love”), from Proto-Indo-European *prāy-, *prēy- (“to like, love”). Cognate with Old High German fridu (“peace”), Old English friþ (“peace, frith”), Old English frēod (“peace, friendship”), German Friede (“peace”). More at free, friend.

  1. To startle from quiet; to alarm.
  2. To frighten; to scare; to frighten away.

    “That voice doth us affray.”