affray Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun noisy quarrel
    altercation; fracas.
  2. noun a noisy fight
    disturbance; ruffle; fray.

WordNet

Af*fray" transitive verb
Etymology
OE. afraien, affraien, OF. effreer, esfreer, F. effrayer, orig. to disquiet, put out of peace, fr. L. ex + OHG. fridu peace (akin to E. free). Cf. Afraid, Fray, Frith inclosure.
Wordforms
past participle Affrayed
Definitions
Archaic
  1. To startle from quiet; to alarm.
    Smale foules a great heap That had afrayed [affrayed] me out of my sleep. Chaucer.
  2. To frighten; to scare; to frighten away.
    That voice doth us affray. Shak.
Af*fray" noun
Etymology
OE. afrai, affrai, OF. esfrei, F. effroi, fr. OF. esfreer. See Affray, v. t.
Definitions
  1. The act of suddenly disturbing any one; an assault or attack. Obs.
  2. Alarm; terror; fright. Obs. Spenser.
  3. A tumultuous assault or quarrel; a brawl; a fray. "In the very midst of the affray." Motley.
  4. (Law) The fighting of two or more persons, in a public place, to the terror of others. Blackstone. ✍ A fighting in private is not, in a legal sense, an affray. Syn. -- Quarrel; brawl; scuffle; encounter; fight; contest; feud; tumult; disturbance.

Webster 1913