affray

noun af·fray \ ə-ˈfrā \

|Updated on: 17 May 2018

Definition of affray

1 archaic : fray, brawl

2 chiefly British : a fight in a public place that disturbs the peace

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Recent Examples of affray from the Web

They were charged with second-degree assault, disorderly conduct, disruption of school activities and affray.

— Washington Post, "Southern Maryland crime report," 10 May 2018
The arrests were for alleged offences including affray, ticket touting and breaching banning and dispersal orders.

— SI.com, "Eight People Arrested After Manchester Brawl Before United's 3-2 Win Against City," 8 Apr. 2018
All of the three teens involved were charged with public affray, police said.

— wbtv, charlotteobserver, "NC mom accused of pulling knife on son’s bullies is suing CMS | Charlotte Observer," 13 Feb. 2018
Although China experiences tens of thousands of anti-government demonstrations each year, these are local affrays which are mostly reactions to greedy local governments.

— The Economist, "Life and soul of the PartyXi Jinping has been good for China’s Communist Party; less so for China," 14 Oct. 2017
Crotts is facing disorderly conduct and inciting an affray charges, police said.

— adam sacasa, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Women's wild fight in hotel lobby captured on viral video," 25 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'affray.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of affray

Middle English afray, affray "fright, consternation, assault, brawl," borrowed from Anglo-French effrei, esfrei, affrai, noun derivative of esfreier, effreier, affraier "to frighten, startle" — more at ²affray

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First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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affray

verb

Definition of affray

affrayed; affraying; affrays

transitive verb

archaic

: startle, frighten

Origin and Etymology of affray

Middle English afraien, affraien "to disturb, frighten, attack, brawl," borrowed from Anglo-French esfreier, effreier, (with prefix alternation) affreer, affraier "to frighten, startle," going back to Gallo-Romance *exfridāre, from Latin ex- ¹ex- + Gallo-Romance *-fridāre, derivative from Old Low Franconian *friðu "peace, tranquility," going back to Germanic *friþu- (whence Old English friþ "peace, security, protection," Old Saxon friđu, Old High German fridu, Old Norse friðr), derivative, with the suffix *-tu-, of *fri(j)a- ¹free

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined above

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