Fray vs. Chafe
Frayverb
(ambitransitive) To (cause to) unravel; used particularly for the edge of something made of cloth, or the end of a rope.
‘The ribbon frayed at the cut end.’;
Chafenoun
Heat excited by friction.
Frayverb
To cause exhaustion, wear out (a person's mental strength).
‘The hectic day ended in frayed nerves. (Metaphorical use; nerves are visualised as strings)’;
Chafenoun
Injury or wear caused by friction.
Frayverb
frighten; alarm
Chafenoun
Vexation; irritation of mind; rage.
Frayverb
(transitive) To bear the expense of; to defray.
Chafenoun
(archaic) An expression of opinionated conflict.
Frayverb
(intransitive) To rub.
Chafeverb
(transitive) To excite heat in by friction; to rub in order to stimulate and make warm.
Fraynoun
A fight or argument
‘Though they did not know the reason for the dispute, they did not hesitate to leap into the fray.’;
Chafeverb
(transitive) To excite passion or anger in; to fret; to irritate.
Fraynoun
(archaic) Fright.
Chafeverb
(transitive) To fret and wear by rubbing.
‘to chafe a cable’;
Fraynoun
An angry quarrel; an affray; contest; combat; broil.
‘Who began this bloody fray?’;
Chafeverb
(intransitive) To rub; to come together so as to wear by rubbing; to wear by friction.
Fraynoun
A fret or chafe, as in cloth; a place injured by rubbing.
Chafeverb
(intransitive) To be worn by rubbing.
‘A cable chafes.’;
Frayverb
To frighten; to terrify; to alarm.
‘What frays ye, that were wont to comfort me affrayed?’;
Chafeverb
(intransitive) To have a feeling of vexation; to be vexed; to fret; to be irritated.
Frayverb
To bear the expense of; to defray.
‘The charge of my most curious and costly ingredients frayed, I shall acknowledge myself amply satisfied.’;
Chafeverb
To excite heat in by friction; to rub in order to stimulate and make warm.
‘To rub her temples, and to chafe her skin.’;
Frayverb
To rub; to wear off, or wear into shreds, by rubbing; to fret, as cloth; as, a deer is said to fray her head.
Chafeverb
To excite passion or anger in; to fret; to irritate.
‘Her intercession chafed him.’;
Frayverb
To rub.
‘We can show the marks he madeWhen 'gainst the oak his antlers frayed.’;
Chafeverb
To fret and wear by rubbing; as, to chafe a cable.
‘Two slips of parchment which she sewed round it to prevent its being chafed.’;
Frayverb
To wear out or into shreads, or to suffer injury by rubbing, as when the threads of the warp or of the woof wear off so that the cross threads are loose; to ravel; as, the cloth frays badly.
‘A suit of frayed magnificience.’;
Chafeverb
To rub; to come together so as to wear by rubbing; to wear by friction.
‘Made its great boughs chafe together.’; ‘The troubled Tiber chafing with her shores.’;
Fraynoun
a noisy fight
Chafeverb
To be worn by rubbing; as, a cable chafes.
Frayverb
wear away by rubbing;
‘The friction frayed the sleeve’;
Chafeverb
To have a feeling of vexation; to be vexed; to fret; to be irritated.
‘He will chafe at the doctor's marrying my daughter.’;
Frayverb
cause friction;
‘my sweater scratches’;
Chafenoun
Heat excited by friction.
Chafenoun
Injury or wear caused by friction.
Chafenoun
Vexation; irritation of mind; rage.
‘The cardinal in a chafe sent for him to Whitehall.’;
Chafenoun
soreness and warmth caused by friction;
‘he had a nasty chafe on his knee’;
Chafenoun
anger produced by some annoying irritation
Chafeverb
become or make sore by or as if by rubbing
Chafeverb
feel extreme irritation or anger;
‘He was chafing at her suggestion that he stay at home while she went on a vacation’;
Chafeverb
cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations;
‘Mosquitoes buzzing in my ear really bothers me’; ‘It irritates me that she never closes the door after she leaves’;
Chafeverb
tear or wear off the skin or make sore by abrading;
‘This leash chafes the dog's neck’;
Chafeverb
cause friction;
‘my sweater scratches’;
Chafeverb
warm by rubbing, as with the hands
