fretted

[ fret-id ]

/ ˈfrɛt ɪd /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR fretted ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

ornamented or provided with frets: a fretted molding.

Origin of fretted

late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; see origin at fret², -ed²

OTHER WORDS FROM fretted

un·fret·ted, adjective

Words nearby fretted

fress, fret, fret saw, fretboard, fretful, fretted, fretting, fretty, fretwork, freud, freud, sigmund

Definition for fretted (2 of 4)

fret ¹

[ fret ]

/ frɛt /

verb (used without object), fret·ted, fret·ting.

to feel or express worry, annoyance, discontent, or the like: Fretting about the lost ring isn't going to help.

to cause corrosion; gnaw into something: acids that fret at the strongest metals.

to make a way by gnawing, corrosion, wearing away, etc.: The river frets at its banks until a new channel is formed.

to become eaten, worn, or corroded (often followed by away): Limestone slowly frets away under pounding by the wind and rain.

to move in agitation or commotion, as water: water fretting over the stones of a brook.

verb (used with object), fret·ted, fret·ting.

to torment; irritate, annoy, or vex: You mustn't fret yourself about that.

to wear away or consume by gnawing, friction, rust, corrosives, etc.: the ocean fretting its shores.

to form or make by wearing away a substance: The river had fretted an underground passage.

to agitate (water): Strong winds were fretting the channel.

noun

an irritated state of mind; annoyance; vexation.

erosion; corrosion; gnawing.

a worn or eroded place.

Origin of fret

before 900; Middle English freten, Old English fretan to eat up, consume; cognate with Old Saxon fretan, Gothic fraitan, Old High German frezzan (German fressen)

SYNONYMS FOR fret

1 fume, rage.

6 worry, harass, goad, tease.

7 erode, gnaw, corrode, abrade, grind, rub, rust.

10 harassment, agitation, worry.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR fret ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM fret

fret·ter, noun

Definition for fretted (3 of 4)

fret ²

[ fret ]

/ frɛt /

noun

an interlaced, angular design; fretwork.

an angular design of bands within a border.

Heraldry. a charge composed of two diagonal strips interlacing with and crossing at the center of a mascle.

a piece of decoratively pierced work placed in a clock case to deaden the sound of the mechanism.

verb (used with object), fret·ted, fret·ting.

to ornament with a fret or fretwork.

Origin of fret

1350–1400; Middle English frette < ?; compare Middle French frete trellis-work, Old English fretwian, variant of frætwian to adorn

OTHER WORDS FROM fret

fret·less, adjective

Definition for fretted (4 of 4)

fret ³

[ fret ]

/ frɛt /

noun

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), fret·ted, fret·ting.

to provide with frets.

Origin of fret

First recorded in 1490–1500; origin uncertain

OTHER WORDS FROM fret

fret·less, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for fretted

As I fretted over whether it was safe for her ingest the body paint, she extolled its benefits.

Naked on a New York Street—for Art |Emily Shire |September 16, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Rivers told me in both 2010 and 2014 that, when thinking about dying herself, she fretted most about her daughter Melissa.

Joan Rivers: 'Death Is Like Plastic Surgery' |Tim Teeman |September 4, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Last week I fretted that America—and American business, in particular—seemed to be running out of ideas.

Is That It? Burger King’s French Fry Burger Is Just Carb Overkill. |Daniel Gross |September 3, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
Behind the scenes, he threw spectacular parties, fretted over his ratings, and stayed loyal to his friends.

The Private David Frost |John M. Florescu |September 3, 2013 |DAILY BEAST

Nearly every critic of the Iranian-American and Muslim author has fretted over whether he has the right to tackle his subject.

Jesus Needs Reza Aslan, Author of 'Zealot' |Kirsten Powers |August 11, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
Denas, who was fretted by the monotony of home duties really too few to employ both her mother and herself, was glad of the offer.

A Singer from the Sea |Amelia Edith Huddleston Barr
If she's not fretted she won't want a doctor till the time comes when the doctor will be with her whether she wants him or not.

Is He Popenjoy? |Anthony Trollope
It is needless to say how Mr. and Mrs. Dick Gumbleton fretted and fumed; but it was all to no use.

Fairy Legends and Traditions of The South of Ireland |T. Crofton Crocker
Here a poor prisoner, forsook by the world and friends, fretted his sorrowful life.

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Complete |Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)
Wasted time, blotted books, and fretted tempers were all the results which the system produced.

The Teacher |Jacob Abbott

British Dictionary definitions for fretted (1 of 5)

fretted

/ (ˈfrɛtɪd) /

adjective

ornamented with angular designs or frets

decorated with fretwork

British Dictionary definitions for fretted (2 of 5)

fret ¹

/ (frɛt) /

verb frets, fretting or fretted

to distress or be distressed; worry

to rub or wear away

to irritate or be irritated; feel or give annoyance or vexation

to eat away or be eaten away by chemical action; corrode

(intr) (of a road surface) to become loose so that potholes develop; scab

to agitate (water) or (of water) to be agitated

(tr) to make by wearing away; erode

noun

a state of irritation or anxiety

the result of fretting; corrosion

a hole or channel caused by fretting

Word Origin for fret

Old English fretan to eat; related to Old High German frezzan, Gothic fraitan, Latin peredere

British Dictionary definitions for fretted (3 of 5)

fret ²

/ (frɛt) /

noun

a repetitive geometrical figure, esp one used as an ornamental border

such a pattern made in relief and with numerous small openings; fretwork

heraldry a charge on a shield consisting of a mascle crossed by a saltire

verb frets, fretting or fretted

(tr) to ornament with fret or fretwork

Derived forms of fret

fretless, adjective

Word Origin for fret

C14: from Old French frete interlaced design used on a shield, probably of Germanic origin

British Dictionary definitions for fretted (4 of 5)

fret ³

/ (frɛt) /

noun

any of several small metal bars set across the fingerboard of a musical instrument of the lute, guitar, or viol family at various points along its length so as to produce the desired notes when the strings are stopped by the fingers

Derived forms of fret

fretless, adjective

Word Origin for fret

C16: of unknown origin

British Dictionary definitions for fretted (5 of 5)

fret ⁴

/ (frɛt) /

noun

short for sea fret

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

fretted

adjective

Origin of fretted

OTHER WORDS FROM fretted

Words nearby fretted

Definition for fretted (2 of 4)

verb (used without object), fret·ted, fret·ting.

verb (used with object), fret·ted, fret·ting.

noun

Origin of fret

SYNONYMS FOR fret

OTHER WORDS FROM fret

Definition for fretted (3 of 4)

noun

verb (used with object), fret·ted, fret·ting.

Origin of fret

OTHER WORDS FROM fret

Definition for fretted (4 of 4)

noun

verb (used with object), fret·ted, fret·ting.

Origin of fret

OTHER WORDS FROM fret

Words related to fretted

Example sentences from the Web for fretted

British Dictionary definitions for fretted (1 of 5)

adjective

British Dictionary definitions for fretted (2 of 5)

verb frets, fretting or fretted

noun

Word Origin for fret

British Dictionary definitions for fretted (3 of 5)

noun

verb frets, fretting or fretted

Derived forms of fret

Word Origin for fret

British Dictionary definitions for fretted (4 of 5)

noun

Derived forms of fret

Word Origin for fret

British Dictionary definitions for fretted (5 of 5)

noun