fret, v. t. [OE. freten to eat, consume; AS. fretan, for foretan; pref. for- + etan to eat; akin to D. vreten, OHG. frezzan, G. fressen, Sw. fräta, Goth. fra-itan. See For, and Eat, v. t.].

To devour. [1913 Webster]
"The sow frete the child right in the cradle." [1913 Webster]
To rub; to wear away by friction; to chafe; to gall; hence, to eat away; to gnaw; as, to fret cloth; to fret a piece of gold or other metal; a worm frets the plants of a ship. [1913 Webster]
"With many a curve my banks I fret." [1913 Webster]
To impair; to wear away; to diminish. [1913 Webster]
"By starts
His fretted fortunes give him hope and fear." [1913 Webster]
To make rough, agitate, or disturb; to cause to ripple; as, to fret the surface of water. [1913 Webster]
To tease; to irritate; to vex. [1913 Webster]
"Fret not thyself because of evil doers." [1913 Webster]

fret, v. i.

To be worn away; to chafe; to fray; as, a wristband frets on the edges. [1913 Webster]
To eat in; to make way by corrosion. [1913 Webster]
"Many wheals arose, and fretted one into another with great excoriation." [1913 Webster]
To be agitated; to be in violent commotion; to rankle; as, rancor frets in the malignant breast. [1913 Webster]
To be vexed; to be chafed or irritated; to be angry; to utter peevish expressions. [1913 Webster]
"He frets, he fumes, he stares, he stamps the ground." [1913 Webster]

fret, n.

The agitation of the surface of a fluid by fermentation or other cause; a rippling on the surface of water. Addison. [1913 Webster]
Agitation of mind marked by complaint and impatience; disturbance of temper; irritation; as, he keeps his mind in a continual fret. [1913 Webster]
"Yet then did Dennis rave in furious fret." [1913 Webster]
Herpes; tetter. Dunglison. [1913 Webster]
The worn sides of river banks, where ores, or stones containing them, accumulate by being washed down from the hills, and thus indicate to the miners the locality of the veins. [1913 Webster]

fret, v. t. [OE. fretten to adorn, AS. frætwan, frætwian; akin to OS. fratah, cf. Goth. us-fratwjan to make wise, also AS. frætwe ornaments, OS. fratahī adornment.].

To ornament with raised work; to variegate; to diversify. [1913 Webster]
" Whose skirt with gold was fretted all about." [1913 Webster]

"Yon gray lines,
That fret the clouds, are messengers of day." [1913 Webster]

fret, n.

Ornamental work in relief, as carving or embossing. See Fretwork. [1913 Webster]

An ornament consisting of small fillets or slats intersecting each other or bent at right angles, as in classical designs, or at oblique angles, as often in Oriental art. [1913 Webster]
"His lady's cabinet is a adorned on the fret, ceiling, and chimney-piece with . . . carving." [1913 Webster]

The reticulated headdress or net, made of gold or silver wire, in which ladies in the Middle Ages confined their hair. [1913 Webster]
"A fret of gold she had next her hair." [1913 Webster]

Fret saw, a saw with a long, narrow blade, used in cutting frets, scrolls, etc.; a scroll saw; a keyhole saw; a compass saw.

fret, n. [F. frette a saltire, also a hoop, ferrule, prob. a dim. of L. ferrum iron. For sense 2, cf. also E. fret to rub.].

A saltire interlaced with a mascle. [1913 Webster]

A short piece of wire, or other material fixed across the finger board of a guitar or a similar instrument, to indicate where the finger is to be placed. [1913 Webster]

fret, v. t.

To furnish with frets, as an instrument of music. [1913 Webster]

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OXFORD DICTIONARY

fret, v. & n.
--v. (fretted, fretting)
1 intr. a be greatly and visibly worried or distressed. b be irritated or resentful.
2 tr. a cause anxiety or distress to. b irritate, annoy.
3 tr. wear or consume by gnawing or rubbing.
4 tr. form (a channel or passage) by wearing away.
5 intr. (of running water) flow or rise in little waves.
--n. irritation, vexation, querulousness (esp. in a fret).

fret, n. & v.
--n.
1 an ornamental pattern made of continuous combinations of straight lines joined usu. at right angles.
2 Heraldry a device of narrow bands and a diamond interlaced.
--v.tr. (fretted, fretting)
1 embellish or decorate with a fret.
2 adorn (esp. a ceiling) with carved or embossed work.

fret, n. each of a sequence of bars or ridges on the finger-board of some stringed musical instruments (esp. the guitar) fixing the positions of the fingers to produce the desired notes.

Derivative

fretless adj.

Etymology

15th c.: orig. unkn.

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THESAURUS

fret
ablate, abrade, abrase, ache, achievement, aching, afflict, aggravate, agitate, agonize, ail, air a grievance, alerion, angina, animal charge, annoy, annulet, arabesque, argent, armorial bearings, armory, arms, arouse, azure, backache, bandeau, bar, bar sinister, bark, basketry, basketwork, baton, be concerned, be livid, be pissed, bearings, beat, beat up, beef, bellyache, bend, bend sinister, beset, billet, bitch, bite, blazon, blazonry, bleed, blemish, bloody, bluster, boil, bordure, bother, break, bristle, broad arrow, brood, brood over, browned off, bug, burn, burn to, cadency mark, cancellation, canton, carp at, carry on, cephalalgia, chafe, chaplet, charge, check, chevron, chief, chip, churn, churn up, clamor, claw, coat of arms, cockatrice, cockle, colic, collywobbles, complain, concern, convulse, coronet, crab, crack, craze, crescent, crest, croak, cross, cross moline, cross-hatching, crossing-out, crown, crucify, cut, device, difference, differencing, dimple, disarrange, discompose, disquiet, distress, disturb, dither, dog, dudgeon, eagle, earache, embitter, embitterment, erase, ermine, ermines, erminites, erminois, erode, escutcheon, exacerbate, exacerbation, exasperate, excite, excoriate, excruciate, exercise, falcon, ferment, fess, fess point, fester, field, file, filigree, flanch, flap, fleur-de-lis, flurry, fluster, flusteration, flustration, flutter, foofaraw, fracture, fray, frazzle, fret and fume, fret at, fretwork, fume, fur, fusil, fuss, fuss at, gall, garland, gash, get excited, give pain, gnaw, gnaw away, gnawing, go on, grate, grate on, grating, gravel, graze, grid, gridiron, grieve, griffin, grille, grillwork, grind, gripe, gripes, grit, groan, grouch, grouse, growl, grumble, grump, grunt, gules, gut-ache, gyron, hachure, harass, hardly wait, harrow, harry, hassle, hasten, hatching, hatchment, haunt, have a conniption, headache, heartburn, helmet, hemicrania, henpeck, heraldic device, high dudgeon, holler, honor point, hound, howl, huff, hurt, impalement, impaling, incense, incise, inescutcheon, inflame, inflict pain, injure, interlacement, intertexture, intertwinement, irk, irritant, irritate, irritation, itch to, jump the gun, kick, kill by inches, label, lace, lacerate, lacery, lacework, lacing, lather, lattice, latticework, lion, lodge a complaint, lozenge, maim, make mincemeat of, mantling, marshaling, martlet, martyr, martyrize, mascle, maul, megrim, mesh, meshes, meshwork, metal, miff, migraine, mope, motto, mourn, mullet, murmur, mutilate, mutter, nag, net, netting, nettle, network, nibble at, niggle, nip, nombril point, octofoil, odontalgia, or, ordinary, orle, otalgia, paddle, pain, pale, paly, pean, peck at, peeve, persecute, perturb, perturbate, pester, pet, pheon, pick at, pick on, pierce, pinch, pine, pine away, pique, pissed off, plague, plexure, plexus, pother, prick, prolong the agony, provocation, provoke, pucker, puncture, purpure, put to torture, pyrosis, quarter, quartering, rack, raddle, rage, raise Cain, raise a howl, raise hell, raise the devil, raise the roof, rankle, rant, rant and rave, rasp, rave, raze, register a complaint, rend, reticle, reticulation, reticule, reticulum, riddle, riffle, rile, rip, ripple, roil, rose, roughen, rub, rub away, rub off, rub out, ruffle, rumple, run, rupture, sable, saltire, savage, scald, scorch, scotch, scour, scrape, scratch, screen, screening, scrub, scuff, scutcheon, seethe, set on edge, set up, shake, shake up, shield, sick headache, sieve, simmer, sizzle, skin, slash, slit, smoke, smolder, sorrow, splitting headache, sprain, spread eagle, squawk, squirm, stab, stew, stick, sting, stir, stir the blood, stir up, stomachache, storm, strain, subordinary, sulk, sweat, sweat and stew, sweat it out, swirl, swivet, take on, tatter, tear, tenne, texture, throbbing pain, throw a fit, tiff, tincture, tissue, tizzy, toothache, torment, torse, torture, tracery, traumatize, trellis, trelliswork, tweak, twist, twitter, twitteration, unicorn, upset, vair, vert, vex, wait impatiently, wattle, wear, wear away, wear down, wear off, wear out, wear ragged, weather, weave, weaving, web, webbing, webwork, weft, whine, whip, whip up, whisk, wicker, wickerwork, work up, worry, wound, wreath, wrench, wring, yale, yap, yap at, yelp

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ROGET THESAURUS

fret

Pain
N mental suffering, pain, dolor, suffering, sufferance, ache, smart, passion, displeasure, dissatisfaction, discomfort, discomposure, disquiet, malaise, inquietude, uneasiness, vexation of spirit, taking, discontent, dejection, weariness, anhedonia, annoyance, irritation, worry, infliction, visitation, plague, bore, bother, botheration, stew, vexation, mortification, chagrin, esclandre, mauvais quart d'heur, care, anxiety, solicitude, trouble, trial, ordeal, fiery ordeal, shock, blow, cark, dole, fret, burden, load, concern, grief, sorrow, distress, affliction, woe, bitterness, heartache, carking cares, heavy heart, aching heart, bleeding heart, broken heart, heavy affliction, gnawing grief, unhappiness, infelicity, misery, tribulation, wretchedness, desolation, despair, extremity, prostration, depth of misery, nightmare, ephialtes, incubus, pang, anguish, agony, torture, torment, purgatory, hell upon earth, iron age, reign of terror, slough of despond, peck of troubles, ills that flesh is heir to, miseries of human life, unkindest cut of all, sufferer, victim, prey, martyr, object of compassion, wretch, shorn lamb, in pain, in a state of pain, full of pain, suffering, pained, afflicted, worried, displeased, aching, griped, sore, on the rack, in limbo, between hawk and buzzard, uncomfortable, uneasy, ill at ease, in a taking, in a way, disturbed, discontented, out of humor, weary, heavy laden, stricken, crushed, a prey to, victimized, ill-used, unfortunate, to be pitied, doomed, devoted, accursed, undone, lost, stranded, fey, unhappy, infelicitous, poor, wretched, miserable, woe-begone, cheerless, careworn, concerned, sorry, sorrowing, sorrowful, cut up, chagrined, horrified, horror-stricken, in grief, plunged in grief, a prey to grief, in tears, steeped to the lips in misery, heart-stricken, heart-broken, heart-scalded, broken-hearted, in despair, the iron entered into our soul, haeret lateri lethalis arundo, one's heart bleeding, down, thou climbing sorrow, mirth cannot move a soul in agony, nessun maggior dolere che ricordarsi del tempo fel, sorrow's crown of sorrow is remembering happier th, the Niobe of Nations.

VB feel pain, suffer pain, experience pain, undergo pain, bear pain, endure pain, smart, ache, suffer, bleed, ail, be the victim of, labor under afflictions, bear the cross, quaff the bitter cup, have a bad time of it, fall on evil days, go hard with, come to grief, fall a sacrifice to, drain the cup of misery to the dregs, sup full of horrors, sit on thorns, be on pins and needles, wince, fret, chafe, worry oneself, be in a taking, fret and fume, take on, take to heart, cark, grieve, mourn, yearn, repine, pine, droop, languish, sink, give way, despair, break one's heart, weigh upon the heart.

Painfulness
VB cause pain, occasion pain, give pain, bring pain, induce pain, produce pain, create pain, inflict pain, pain, hurt, wound, pinch, prick, gripe, pierce, lancinate, cut, hurt the feelings, wound the feelings, grate upon the feelings, grate upon the nerves, jar upon the feelings, wring the heart, pierce the heart, lacerate the heart, break the heart, rend the heart, make the heart bleed, tear the heart strings, rend the heart strings, draw tears from the eyes, sadden, make unhappy, plunge into sorrow, grieve, fash, afflict, distress, cut up, cut to the heart, displease, annoy, incommode, discompose, trouble, disquiet, faze, feaze, feeze, disturb, cross, perplex, molest, tease, tire, irk, vex, mortify, wherret, worry, plague, bother, pester, bore, pother, harass, harry, badger, heckle, bait, beset, infest, persecute, importune, wring, harrow, torment, torture, bullyrag, put to the rack, put to the question, break on the wheel, rack, scarify, cruciate, crucify, convulse, agonize, barb the dart, plant a dagger in the breast, plant a thorn in one's side, irritate, provoke, sting, nettle, try the patience, pique, fret, rile, tweak the nose, chafe, gall, sting to the quick, wound to the quick, cut to the quick, aggrieve, affront, enchafe, enrage, ruffle, sour the temper, give offense, maltreat, bite, snap at, assail, smite, sicken, disgust, revolt, nauseate, disenchant, repel, offend, shock, stink in the nostrils, go against the stomach, turn the stomach, make one sick, set the teeth on edge, go against the grain, grate on the ear, stick in one's throat, stick in one's gizzard, rankle, gnaw, corrode, horrify, appal, appall, freeze the blood, make the flesh creep, make the hair stand on end, make the blood curdle, make the blood run cold, make one shudder, haunt the memory, weigh on the heart, prey on the heart, weigh on the mind, prey on the mind, weigh on the spirits, prey on the spirits, bring one's gray hairs with sorrow to the grave, add a nail to one's coffin.

Discontent
VB be discontented, quarrel with one's bread and butter, repine, regret, wish one at the bottom of the Red Sea, take on, take to heart, shrug the shoulders, make a wry face, pull a long face, knit one's brows, look blue, look black, look black as thunder, look blank, look glum, take in bad part, take ill, fret, chafe, make a piece of work, grumble, croak, lament, cause discontent, dissatisfy, disappoint, mortify, put out, disconcert, cut up, dishearten.

Dejection
VB be dejected, grieve, mourn, take on, give way, lose heart, despond, droop, sink, lower, look downcast, frown, pout, hang down the head, pull a long face, make a long face, laugh on the wrong side of the mouth, grin a ghastly smile, look blue, look like a drowned man, lay to heart, take to heart, mope, brood over, fret, sulk, pine, pine away, yearn, repine, despair, refrain from laughter, keep one's countenance, be grave, look grave, repress a smile, depress, discourage, dishearten, dispirit, damp, dull, deject, lower, sink, dash, knock down, unman, prostrate, break one's heart, frown upon, cast a gloom, cast a shade on, sadden, damp one's hopes, dash one's hopes, wither one's hopes, weigh on the mind, lie heavy on the mind, prey on the mind, weigh on the spirits, lie heavy on the spirits, prey on the spirits, damp the spirits, depress the spirits.

Lamentation
VB lament, mourn, deplore, grieve, weep over, bewail, bemoan, condole with, fret, wear mourning, go into mourning, put on mourning, wear the willow, wear sackcloth and ashes, infandum renovare dolorem, give sorrow words, sigh, give a sigh, heave, fetch a sigh, waft a sigh from Indus to the pole, sigh 'like a furnace', wail, cry, weep, sob, greet, blubber, pipe, snivel, bibber, whimper, pule, pipe one's eye, drop tears, shed tears, drop a tear, shed a tear, melt into tears, burst into tears, fondre en larmes, cry oneself blind, cry one's eyes out, yammer, scream, mew, groan, moan, whine, roar, roar like a bull, bellow like a bull, cry out lustily, rend the air, frown, scowl, make a wry face, gnash one's teeth, wring one's hands, tear one's hair, beat one's breast, roll on the ground, burst with grief, complain, murmur, mutter, grumble, growl, clamor, make a fuss about, croak, grunt, maunder, deprecate, cry out before one is hurt, complain without cause.

Ornament
N ornament, floridness c, adj, turgidity, turgescence, altiloquence, declamation, teratology, well-rounded periods, elegance, orotundity, inversion, antithesis, alliteration, paronomasia, figurativeness, flourish, flowers of speech, flowers of rhetoric, frills of style, euphuism, euphemism, big-sounding words, high-sounding words, macrology, sesquipedalia verba, Alexandrine, inflation, pretension, rant, bombast, fustian, prose run mad, fine writing, sesquipedality, Minerva press, phrasemonger, euphuist, euphemist, ornament, beautified, ornate, florid, rich, flowery, euphuistic, euphemistic, sonorous, high-sounding, big-sounding, inflated, swelling, tumid, turgid, turgescent, pedantic, pompous, stilted, orotund, high flown, high flowing, sententious, rhetorical, declamatory, grandiose, grandiloquent, magniloquent, altiloquent, sesquipedal, sesquipedalian, Johnsonian, mouthy, bombastic, fustian, frothy, flashy, flaming, antithetical, alliterative, figurative, artificial, ore rutundo, ornament, ornamentation, ornamental art, ornature, ornateness, adornment, decoration, embellishment, architecture, jewelry, garnish, polish, varnish, French polish, veneer, japanning, lacquer, gilding, plating, ormolu, enamel, cloisonn_e, cosmetics (in general), makeup, eye shadow, rouge, face powder, lipstick, blush, pattern, diaper, powdering, paneling, graining, pargeting, detail, repousse (convexity), texture, richness, tracery, molding, fillet, listel, strapwork, coquillage, flourish, fleur-de-lis, arabesque, fret, anthemion, egg and tongue, egg and dart, astragal, zigzag, acanthus, cartouche, pilaster, bead, beading, champleve ware, cloisonne ware, frost work, Moresque, Morisco, tooling, embroidery, brocade, brocatelle, galloon, lace, fringe, trapping, border, edging, trimming, hanging, tapestry, arras, millinery, ermine, drap d'or, wreath, festoon, garland, chaplet, flower, nosegay, bouquet, posy, daisies pied and violets blue, tassel knot, shoulder knot, apaulette, epaulet, aigulet, frog, star, rosette, bow, feather, plume, pompom, panache, aigrette, finery, frippery, gewgaw, gimcrack, tinsel, spangle, clinquant, pinchbeck, paste, excess of ornament, gaud, pride, illustration, illumination, vignette, fleuron, head piece, tail piece, cul-de-lampe, flowers of rhetoric, work of art, ornamented, beautified, ornate, rich, gilt, begilt, tesselated, festooned, champleve, cloisonne, topiary, smart, gay, trickly, flowery, glittering, new gilt, new spangled, fine as a Mayday queen, fine as a fivepence, fine as a carrot fresh scraped, pranked out, bedight, well-groomed, in full dress, dressed to kill, dressed to the nines, dressed to advantage, in Sunday best, en grand tenue, en grande toilette, in best bib and tucker, endimanche, showy, flashy, gaudy, garish, gairish, gorgeous, ornamental, decorative, becoming.

VB ornament, overlay with ornament, overcharge, smell of the lamp, ornament, embellish, enrich, decorate, adorn, bead, beautify, adonize, smarten, furbish, polish, gild, varnish, whitewash, enamel, japan, lacquer, paint, grain, garnish, trim, dizen, bedizen, prink, prank, trick out, fig out, deck, bedeck, dight, bedight, array, begawd, titivate, dress, dress up, spangle, bespangle, powder, embroider, work, chase, emboss, fret, emblazon, illuminate, illustrate, become.

Resentment
VB resent, take amiss, take ill, take to heart, take offense, take umbrage, take huff, take exception, take in ill part, take in bad part, take in dudgeon, ne pas entendre raillerie, breathe revenge, cut up rough, fly into a rage, fall into a rage, get into a rage, fly into a passion, bridle up, bristle up, froth up, fire up, flare up, open the vials of one's wrath, pour out the vials of one's wrath, pout, knit the brow, frown, scowl, lower, snarl, growl, gnarl, gnash, snap, redden, color, look black, look black as thunder, look daggers, bite one's thumb, show one's teeth, grind one's teeth, champ the bit, champ at the bit, chafe, mantle, fume, kindle, fly out, take fire, boil, boil over, boil with indignation, boil with rage, rage, storm, foam, vent one's rage, vent one's spleen, lose one's temper, stand on one's hind legs, stamp the foot, stamp with rage, quiver with rage, swell with rage, foam with rage, burst with anger, raise Cain, have a fling at, bear malice, cause anger, raise anger, affront, offend, give offense, give umbrage, anger, hurt the feelings, insult, discompose, fret, ruffle, nettle, huff, pique, excite, irritate, stir the blood, stir up bile, sting, sting to the quick, rile, provoke, chafe, wound, incense, inflame, enrage, aggravate, add fuel to the flame, fan into a flame, widen the breach, envenom, embitter, exasperate, infuriate, kindle wrath, stick in one's gizzard, rankle, hit on the raw, rub on the raw, sting on the raw, strike on the raw, put out of countenance, put out of humor, put one's monkey up, put one's back up, raise one's gorge, raise one's dander, raise one's choler, work up into a passion, make one's blood boil, make the ears tingle, throw, into a ferment, madden, drive one mad, lash into fury, lash into madness, fool to the top of one's bent, set by the ears, bring a hornet's nest about one's ears.

Physical Pain
VB feel pain, experience pain, suffer pain, undergo pain, suffer, ache, smart, bleed, tingle, shoot, twinge, twitch, lancinate, writhe, wince, make a wry face, sit on thorns, sit on pins and needles, give pain, inflict pain, lacerate, pain, hurt, chafe, sting, bite, gnaw, gripe, pinch, tweak, grate, gall, fret, prick, pierce, wring, convulse, torment, torture, rack, agonize, crucify, cruciate, excruciate, break on the wheel, put to the rack, flog, grate on the ear.