affray

Noun
Synonyms: altercationfracasdisturbancefrayruffle

WordNet 3.0

Noun (2)

  1. noisy quarrelSynonyms: altercationfracas
  2. a noisy fightSynonyms: disturbancefrayruffle
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Affray \Af*fray"\, v. t. [p. p. Affrayed.] [OE. afraien, affraien, OF. effreer, esfreer, F. effrayer, orig. to disquiet, put out of peace, fr. L. ex + OHG. fridu peace (akin to E. free). Cf. Afraid, Fray, Frith inclosure.] [Archaic]

1.To startle from quiet; to alarm. [1913 Webster]

Smale foules a great heap That had afrayed [affrayed] me out of my sleep.— Chaucer.[1913 Webster]

2.To frighten; to scare; to frighten away. [1913 Webster]

That voice doth us affray.— Shak.[1913 Webster]
Affray \Af*fray"\, n. [OE. afrai, affrai, OF. esfrei, F. effroi, fr. OF. esfreer. See Affray, v. t.]

1.The act of suddenly disturbing any one; an assault or attack. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

2.Alarm; terror; fright. [Obs.] --Spenser. [1913 Webster]

3.A tumultuous assault or quarrel; a brawl; a fray. "In the very midst of the affray." --Motley. [1913 Webster]

4.(Law) The fighting of two or more persons, in a public place, to the terror of others. --Blackstone. [1913 Webster]

Note: A fighting in private is not, in a legal sense, an affray. [1913 Webster]

Syn: Quarrel; brawl; scuffle; encounter; fight; contest; feud; tumult; disturbance. [1913 Webster]

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