fret

¹fret

verb \ˈfret\

fret·tedfret·ting

Definition of FRET

transitive verb

1

a : to eat or gnaw into : corrode; also : fray

b : rub, chafe

c : to make by wearing away a substance <the stream fretted a channel>

2

: to cause to suffer emotional strain : vex

3

: to pass (as time) in fretting

4

: agitate, ripple

intransitive verb

1

a : to eat into something

b : to affect something as if by gnawing or biting : grate

2

a : wear, corrode

b : chafe

c : fray 1

3

a : to become vexed or worried

b of running water : to become agitated

Origin of FRET

Middle English, to devour, fret, from Old English fretan to devour; akin to Old High German frezzan to devour, ezzan to eat — more at eat

First Known Use: 12th century

Rhymes with FRET

bet, debt, get, het, jet, let, Lett, met, net, pet, ret, set, stet, sweat, Tet, threat, vet, wet, whet, yet

²fret

noun

Definition of FRET

1

a : the action of wearing away : erosion

b : a worn or eroded spot

2

: an agitation of mind : irritation

First Known Use of FRET

15th century

³fret

transitive verb

fret·tedfret·ting

Definition of FRET

1

a : to decorate with interlaced designs

b : to form a pattern upon

2

: to enrich with embossed or pierced carved patterns

Origin of FRET

Middle English, back-formation from fret, fretted adorned, interwoven, from Anglo-French fretté, past participle of fretter to tie, probably from Vulgar Latin *firmitare, from Latin firmus firm

First Known Use: 14th century

Other Fine Arts Terms

Gothic, baroque, bas-relief, limn, oeuvre, pastiche, rococo, sfumato

⁴fret

noun

Definition of FRET

1

: an ornamental network; especially : a medieval metallic or jeweled net for a woman's headdress

2

: an ornament or ornamental work often in relief consisting of small straight bars intersecting one another in right or oblique angles

Illustration of FRET

First Known Use of FRET

14th century

⁵fret

noun

Definition of FRET

: one of a series of ridges fixed across the fingerboard of a stringed musical instrument (as a guitar)

— fret·less adjective

— fret·ted adjective

Origin of FRET

perhaps from Middle French frete ferrule, from freter

First Known Use: circa 1500

Other Music Terms

cacophony, chorister, concerto, counterpoint, madrigal, obbligato, presto, presto, refrain, riff, segue

⁶fret

transitive verb

fret·tedfret·ting

Definition of FRET

: to press (the strings of a stringed instrument) against the frets

First Known Use of FRET

1602

Other Music Terms

cacophony, chorister, concerto, counterpoint, madrigal, obbligato, presto, presto, refrain, riff, segue