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defray

 - 2 dictionary results

de⋅fray

[di-frey]
–verb (used with object)
to bear or pay all or part of (the costs, expenses, etc.): The grant helped defray the expenses of the trip.

Origin:
1535–45; < MF défrayer, OF deffroier to pay costs, equiv. to de- dis- 1 + frayer to bear the costs, deriv. of frais, fres (pl.) costs, prob. < L frācta things broken (see fracture ), hence, expense incurred from breakage


de⋅fray⋅a⋅ble, adjective
de⋅fray⋅er, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To defray
de·fray   (dĭ-frā')   
tr.v.   de·frayed, de·fray·ing, de·frays
To undertake the payment of (costs or expenses); pay.

[French défrayer, from Old French desfrayer : des-, de- + *frai, expense (from Latin frāctum, from neuter past participle of frangere, to break; see bhreg- in Indo-European roots).]
de·fray'a·ble adj., de·fray'al n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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