English noun: fret | |||
1. | fret (state) agitation resulting from active worry | ||
Samples | Don't get in a stew. He's in a sweat about exams. | ||
Synonyms | lather, stew, sweat, swither | ||
Broader (hypernym) | agitation | ||
2. | fret (attribute) a spot that has been worn away by abrasion or erosion | ||
Synonyms | worn spot | ||
Broader (hypernym) | dapple, fleck, maculation, patch, speckle, spot | ||
3. | fret (artifact) an ornamental pattern consisting of repeated vertical and horizontal lines (often in relief) | ||
Samples | There was a simple fret at the top of the walls. | ||
Synonyms | Greek fret, Greek key, key pattern | ||
Broader (hypernym) | architectural ornament | ||
4. | fret (artifact) a small bar of metal across the fingerboard of a musical instrument; when the string is stopped by a finger at the metal bar it will produce a note of the desired pitch | ||
Broader (hypernym) | bar | ||
English verb: fret | |||
1. | fret (emotion) worry unnecessarily or excessively | ||
Samples | Don't fuss too much over the grandchildren--they are quite big now. | ||
Examples | Sam and Sue fret over the results of the experiment | ||
Synonyms | fuss, niggle | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s. Somebody ----s PP | ||
Broader (hypernym) | worry | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | dither, flap, pother, scruple | ||
2. | fret (emotion) be agitated or irritated | ||
Samples | Don't fret over these small details. | ||
Examples | Sam and Sue fret | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s. Somebody ----s PP | ||
Broader (hypernym) | worry | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | dither | ||
3. | fret (possession) provide (a musical instrument) with frets | ||
Samples | Fret a guitar. | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something | ||
Broader (hypernym) | furnish, provide, render, supply | ||
4. | fret (perception) become or make sore by or as if by rubbing | ||
Synonyms | chafe, gall | ||
Pattern of use | Something ----s. Somebody ----s something. Something ----s somebody. Something ----s something | ||
Broader (hypernym) | irritate | ||
5. | fret (emotion) cause annoyance in | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s somebody. Something ----s somebody | ||
Broader (hypernym) | annoy, bother, chafe, devil, get at, get to, gravel, irritate, nark, nettle, rag, rile, vex | ||
Cause | fret | ||
6. | fret (emotion) gnaw into; make resentful or angry | ||
Samples | The injustice rankled her. His resentment festered. | ||
Examples | The bad news will fret him | ||
Synonyms | eat into, grate, rankle | ||
Pattern of use | Something ----s somebody | ||
Broader (hypernym) | annoy, bother, chafe, devil, get at, get to, gravel, irritate, nark, nettle, rag, rile, vex | ||
7. | fret (creation) carve a pattern into | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something | ||
Broader (hypernym) | carve | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | honeycomb | ||
Domain category | handicraft | ||
8. | fret (creation) decorate with an interlaced design | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something | ||
Broader (hypernym) | adorn, beautify, decorate, embellish, grace, ornament | ||
9. | fret (contact) be too tight; rub or press | ||
Samples | This neckband is choking the cat. | ||
Synonyms | choke, gag | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s somebody. Something ----s somebody | ||
Broader (hypernym) | compact, compress, constrict, contract, press, squeeze | ||
10. | fret (contact) cause friction | ||
Samples | My sweater scratches. | ||
Synonyms | chafe, fray, rub, scratch | ||
Pattern of use | Something ----s. Something is ----ing PP. Something ----s somebody | ||
Broader (hypernym) | adjoin, contact, meet, touch | ||
11. | fret (change) remove soil or rock | ||
Samples | Rain eroded the terraces. | ||
Synonyms | eat away, erode | ||
Pattern of use | Something ----s something | ||
Broader (hypernym) | damage | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | wash | ||
12. | fret (change) wear away or erode | ||
Synonyms | eat away | ||
Pattern of use | Something ----s something | ||
Broader (hypernym) | corrode, rust | ||