fret

I

[[t]frɛt[/t]]

v. fret•ted, fret•ting, n.

1) to feel or express worry, annoyance, discontent, or the like

2) to cause corrosion; gnaw into something:

acids that fret at the strongest metals[/ex]

3) to make a way by gnawing, corrosion, wearing away, etc

4) geo to become eaten, worn, or corroded (often fol. by away)

5) to move in agitation or commotion, as water

6) to irritate, annoy, or vex; torment

7) geo to wear away or consume by gnawing, friction, rust, corrosives, etc

8) geo to form or make by wearing away a substance

9) geo to agitate (water)

10) an irritated state of mind; annoyance; vexation

11) geo erosion; corrosion

12) a worn or eroded place

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Etymology: bef. 900; ME; OE fretan to eat up fret′ter, n. II

fret

[[t]frɛt[/t]] n. v. fret•ted, fret•ting

1) archit. fur an interlaced, angular design; fretwork

2) archit. fur an angular design of bands within a border

3) a piece of decoratively pierced work placed in a clock case to deaden the sound

4) archit. fur to ornament with a fret or fretwork

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Etymology: 1350–1400; ME fret(ted) < OF freté, akin to frete trellis fret′less, adj. III

fret

[[t]frɛt[/t]] n. v. fret•ted, fret•ting

1) mad any of the ridges of wood, metal, or string, set across the fingerboard of an instrument, as a guitar or lute, to help the fingers stop the strings at the correct points

2) mad to provide with frets

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Etymology: 1490–1500 fret′less, adj.