Webster's English Dictionary

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fret

1. fret \'fret\ vt or fret.ted;  or fret.ting [ME freten to devour, fret, 
   fr. OE fretan to devour; akin to OHG Xfrezzan to devour, ezzan to eat 1: to 
   cause to suffer emotional strain : VEX  2a: to eat or gnaw into : CORRODE; 
   also : FRAY  2b: RUB, CHAFE  2c: to make by wearing away a substance {the 
   stream fretted a chan nel} 3: to pass (as time) in fretting  4: AGITATE, 
   RIPPLE  1a: to eat into something  1b: to affect something as if by gnawing 
   or biting : GRATE  2a: WEAR, CORRODE  2b: CHAFE  2c: FRAY  3a: to become 
   vexed or worried  of running water  3b: to become agitated 
2. fret n 1a: the action of wearing away : EROSION  1b: a worn or eroded 
   spot  2: an agitation of mind : IRRITATION 
3. fret vt or fret.ted;  or fret.ting [ME fretten, fr. MF freter to bind 
   with a ferrule, fret, fr. OF, fr]. frete ferrule 1a: to decorate with 
   interlaced designs  1b: to form a pattern upon  2: to enrich with embossed 
   or pierced carved patterns 
4. fret n 1: an ornamental network; esp : a woman's headdress  2: an 
   ornament or ornamental work often in relief consisting of small strai ght 
   bars intersecting one another in right or oblique angles
5. fret n [prob. fr. MF frete ferrule] : one of a series of ridges fixed 
   across the fingerboard of a stringed mus ical instrument
6. fret vt or fret.ted;  or fret.ting : to furnish with frets