Af*fray" (#), v. t. [p. p. Affrayed.] [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.] [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.
© Webster 1913.
Af*fray" (#), n. [OE. afrai, affrai, OF. esfrei, F. effroi, fr. OF. esfreer. See Affray, v. t.]
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.