Emily Dickinson Lexicon

FRAY, n. [Fr. fracas, It. fracasso, a great crash, havoc, ruin; Fr. fracasser, It. fracassare, to break; coinciding with L. fractura, from frango. Under Affray, this is referred to Fr. effrayer, to fright, but incorrectly, unless fright is from the same root. In the sense of rubbing, fretting, this is from the L. frico, Sp. fregar. But break, fright and frico, all have the same radicals.]

1. A broil, quarrel or violent riot, that puts men in fear. This is the vulgar word for affray, and the sense seems to refer the word to Fr. effrayer.
2. A combat; a battle; also, a single combat or duel. Pope.
3. A contest; contention. Milton.
4. A rub; a fret or chafe in cloth; a place injured by rubbing. Tatler.