v. & n.
—v. (fretted, fretting)
1 intr. a be greatly and visibly worried or distressed. b be irritated or resentful.
2 tr. a cause anxiety or distress to. b irritate, annoy.
3 tr. wear or consume by gnawing or rubbing.
4 tr. form (a channel or passage) by wearing away.
5 intr. (of running water) flow or rise in little waves.
—n. irritation, vexation, querulousness (esp. in a fret).
Etymology: OE fretan f. Gmc, rel. to EAT
2.
n. & v.
—n.
1 an ornamental pattern made of continuous combinations of straight lines joined usu. at right angles.
2 Heraldry a device of narrow bands and a diamond interlaced.
—v.tr. (fretted, fretting)
1 embellish or decorate with a fret.
2 adorn (esp. a ceiling) with carved or embossed work.
Etymology: ME f. OF frete trellis-work and freter (v.)
3.
n. each of a sequence of bars or ridges on the finger-board of some stringed musical instruments (esp. the guitar) fixing the positions of the fingers to produce the desired notes.
Derivatives:
fretless adj.
Etymology: 15th c.: orig. unkn.
Useful english dictionary. 2012.