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Fretted

 - 8 dictionary results
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fret⋅ted

  [fret-id]
Use Fretted in a Sentence
–adjective
ornamented or provided with frets: a fretted molding.
Origin:
1375–1425; late ME; see fret 2 , -ed 2
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fret

1  [fret] verb, fret⋅ted, fret⋅ting, noun
–verb (used without object)
1. to feel or express worry, annoyance, discontent, or the like: Fretting about the lost ring isn't going to help.
2. to cause corrosion; gnaw into something: acids that fret at the strongest metals.
3. to make a way by gnawing, corrosion, wearing away, etc.: The river frets at its banks until a new channel is formed.
4. to become eaten, worn, or corroded (often fol. by away): Limestone slowly frets away under pounding by the wind and rain.
5. to move in agitation or commotion, as water: water fretting over the stones of a brook.
–verb (used with object)
6. to torment; irritate, annoy, or vex: You mustn't fret yourself about that.
7. to wear away or consume by gnawing, friction, rust, corrosives, etc.: the ocean fretting its shores.
8. to form or make by wearing away a substance: The river had fretted an underground passage.
9. to agitate (water): Strong winds were fretting the channel.
–noun
10. an irritated state of mind; annoyance; vexation.
11. erosion; corrosion; gnawing.
12. a worn or eroded place.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME freten, OE fretan to eat up, consume; c. OS fretan, Goth fraitan, OHG frezzan (G fressen)

Related forms:
fretter, noun

Synonyms:
1. fume, rage. 6. worry, harass, goad, tease. 7. erode, gnaw, corrode, abrade, grind, rub, rust. 10. harassment, agitation, worry.

fret

2  [fret] noun, verb, fret⋅ted, fret⋅ting.
–noun
1. an interlaced, angular design; fretwork.
2. an angular design of bands within a border.
3. Heraldry. a charge composed of two diagonal strips interlacing with and crossing at the center of a mascle.
4. a piece of decoratively pierced work placed in a clock case to deaden the sound of the mechanism.
–verb (used with object)
5. to ornament with a fret or fretwork.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME frette < ?; cf. MF frete trellis-work, OE fretwian, var. of frætwian to adorn

Related forms:
fretless, adjective

fret

3  [fret] noun, verb, fret⋅ted, fret⋅ting.
–noun
1. any of the ridges of wood, metal, or string, set across the fingerboard of a guitar, lute, or similar instrument, which help the fingers to stop the strings at the correct points.
–verb (used with object)
2. to provide with frets.
Origin:
1490–1500; orig. uncert.

Related forms:
fretless, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To Fretted
fret 1   (frět)   
v.   fret·ted, fret·ting, frets

v.   tr.

  1. To cause to be uneasy; vex: "fret thy soul with crosses and with cares" (Edmund Spenser).

    1. To gnaw or wear away; erode.

    2. To produce a hole or worn spot in; corrode. See Synonyms at chafe.

  3. To form (a passage or channel) by erosion.

  4. To disturb the surface of (water or a stream); agitate.

v.   intr.

  1. To be vexed or troubled; worry. See Synonyms at brood.

  2. To be worn or eaten away; become corroded.

  3. To move agitatedly.

  4. To gnaw with the teeth in the manner of a rodent.

n.  

  1. The act or an instance of fretting.

  2. A hole or worn spot made by abrasion or erosion.

  3. Irritation of mind; agitation.


[Middle English freten, from Old English fretan, to devour; see ed- in Indo-European roots.]
fret 2   (frět)   
n.  One of several ridges set across the fingerboard of a stringed instrument, such as a guitar.
tr.v.   fret·ted, fret·ting, frets

  1. To provide with frets.

  2. To press (the strings of an instrument) against the frets.


[Origin unknown.]
fret 3   (frět)   
n.  

  1. An ornamental design consisting of repeated and symmetrical geometric figures, often in relief, contained within a band or border. Also called key pattern.

  2. A headdress, worn by women of the Middle Ages, consisting of interlaced wire.

tr.v.   fret·ted, fret·ting, frets
To provide with such a design or headdress.

[Middle English, interlaced work, from Old French frete.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

fret  (v.)
O.E. fretan "eat, devour" (in O.E., used of monsters and Vikings; in M.E., used of animals' eating), from P.Gmc. compound *fra- "for-" + *etan "to eat" (cf. Du. vreton, O.H.G. freggan, Ger. fressen, Goth. fraitan). Figurative sense of "irritate, worry, eat one's heart out" is c.1200. Modern Ger. still distinguishes essen for humans and fressen for animals.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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