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Added 9 October 2026

fret

/fɹɛt/ verb

In Latin: aestuō Wiktionary

verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about fret at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Especially when describing animals: to consume, devour, or eat.
To chafe or irritate; to worry.
To make rough, to agitate or disturb; to cause to ripple.
the brooks fretting down their channels

noun

Agitation of the surface of a fluid by fermentation or some other cause; a rippling on the surface of water.
Agitation of the mind marked by complaint and impatience; disturbance of temper; irritation.
He keeps his mind in a continual fret.
Herpes; tetter (“any of various pustular skin conditions”).

noun

An ornamental pattern consisting of repeated vertical and horizontal lines, often in relief.
A saltire interlaced with a mascle.

verb

To decorate or ornament, especially with an interlaced or interwoven pattern, or with carving or relief (raised) work.
To form a pattern on; to variegate.
To cut through with a fretsaw, to create fretwork.

Origin

From Middle English frēten (“to eat (at), corrode, destroy, annoy”), from Old English fretan (“to eat up, devour; to fret; to break, burst”), from Proto-West Germanic *fraetan, from Proto-Germanic *fraetaną (“to consume, devour, eat up”), from Proto-Germanic *fra- (“for-, prefix meaning ‘completely, fully’”) (from Proto-Indo-European *pro- (“forward, toward”)) + *etaną (“to eat”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁ed- (“to eat”)).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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