Emily Dickinson Lexicon

FRET, v.t. [Sw. fräta, to fret, to corrode; Fr. frotter, to rub; Arm. frota. This seems to be allied to Goth. fretan and Sax. fretan, to eat, to gnaw, G. fressen, D. vreeten, which may be formed from the root of L. rodo, rosi, Sp. rozar, or of L. rado, to scrape. To fret or gnaw gives the sense of unevenness, roughness, in substances; the like appearance is given to fluids by agitation.]

1. To rub; to wear away a substance by friction; as, to fret cloth; to fret a piece of gold or other metal. Newton.
2. To corrode; to gnaw; to eat away; as, a worm frets the planks of a ship.
3. To impair; to wear away. By starts, / His fretted fortunes give him hope and fear. Shak.
4. To form into raised work. Milton.
5. To variegate; to diversify. Yon gray lines / That fret the clouds, are messengers of day. Shak.
6. To agitate violently. Shak.
7. To agitate; to disturb; to make rough; to cause to ripple; as, to fret the surface of water.
8. To tease; to irritate; to vex; to make angry. Fret not thyself because of evil doers. Ps. xxxvii.
9. To wear away; to chafe; to gall. Let not a saddle or harness fret the skin of your horse.