- [intransitive, transitive]
if cloth frays or something frays it, the threads in it start to come apart (使织物边沿)磨损,磨散 - [intransitive, transitive] fray (something)
if somebody’s nerves or temper frays or something frays them, the person starts to get annoyed (使)烦躁,恼火
Word Originverb late Middle English: from Old French freiier, from Latin fricare ‘to rub’.
Idioms
fray at/around the edges/seams
to start to come apart or to fail Topics Difficulty and failurec2开始卷边;脱线脚;分崩离析;失败