Dictionary entry details
• FRET (noun)
Meaning:
Agitation resulting from active worry
Classified under:
Nouns denoting stable states of affairs
Synonyms:
swither; stew; fret; lather; sweat
Context examples:
don't get in a stew / he's in a sweat about exams
Hypernyms ("fret" is a kind of...):
agitation (a mental state of extreme emotional disturbance)
Meaning:
A spot that has been worn away by abrasion or erosion
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Synonyms:
worn spot; fret
Hypernyms ("fret" is a kind of...):
dapple; fleck; maculation; patch; speckle; spot (a small contrasting part of something)
Meaning:
An ornamental pattern consisting of repeated vertical and horizontal lines (often in relief)
Classified under:
Nouns denoting man-made objects
Synonyms:
Greek fret; Greek key; key pattern; fret
Context example:
there was a simple fret at the top of the walls
Hypernyms ("fret" is a kind of...):
architectural ornament ((architecture) something added to a building to improve its appearance)
Meaning:
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
Classified under:
Nouns denoting man-made objects
Hypernyms ("fret" is a kind of...):
bar (a rigid piece of metal or wood; usually used as a fastening or obstruction or weapon)
• FRET (verb)
Meaning:
Worry unnecessarily or excessively
Classified under:
Verbs of feeling
Synonyms:
fret; fuss; niggle
Context example:
don't fuss too much over the grandchildren--they are quite big now
Hypernyms (to "fret" is one way to...):
worry (be worried, concerned, anxious, troubled, or uneasy)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fret"):
scruple (raise scruples)
dither; flap; pother (make a fuss; be agitated)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP
Sentence example:
Sam and Sue fret over the results of the experiment
Meaning:
Be agitated or irritated
Classified under:
Verbs of feeling
Context example:
don't fret over these small details
Hypernyms (to "fret" is one way to...):
worry (be worried, concerned, anxious, troubled, or uneasy)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fret"):
dither (act nervously; be undecided; be uncertain)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP
Sentence example:
Sam and Sue fret
Meaning:
Provide (a musical instrument) with frets
Classified under:
Verbs of buying, selling, owning
Context example:
fret a guitar
Hypernyms (to "fret" is one way to...):
furnish; provide; render; supply (provide or furnish with)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Meaning:
Become or make sore by or as if by rubbing
Classified under:
Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling
Synonyms:
chafe; gall; fret
Hypernyms (to "fret" is one way to...):
irritate (excite to an abnormal condition, of chafe or inflame)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Cause annoyance in
Classified under:
Verbs of feeling
Hypernyms (to "fret" is one way to...):
annoy; bother; chafe; devil; get at; get to; gravel; irritate; nark; nettle; rag; rile; vex (cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations)
Cause:
fret (be agitated or irritated)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Meaning:
Gnaw into; make resentful or angry
Classified under:
Verbs of feeling
Synonyms:
eat into; rankle; grate; fret
Context examples:
The injustice rankled her / his resentment festered
Hypernyms (to "fret" is one way to...):
annoy; bother; chafe; devil; get at; get to; gravel; irritate; nark; nettle; rag; rile; vex (cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations)
Sentence frame:
Something ----s somebody
Sentence example:
The bad news will fret him
Meaning:
Carve a pattern into
Classified under:
Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing
Hypernyms (to "fret" is one way to...):
carve (form by carving)
Domain category:
handicraft (a craft that requires skillful hands)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fret"):
honeycomb (carve a honeycomb pattern into)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Meaning:
Decorate with an interlaced design
Classified under:
Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing
Hypernyms (to "fret" is one way to...):
adorn; beautify; decorate; embellish; grace; ornament (make more attractive by adding ornament, colour, etc.)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Meaning:
Be too tight; rub or press
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Synonyms:
choke; gag; fret
Context example:
This neckband is choking the cat
Hypernyms (to "fret" is one way to...):
compact; compress; constrict; contract; press; squeeze (squeeze or press together)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Meaning:
Cause friction
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Synonyms:
scratch; rub; fray; chafe; fret
Context example:
my sweater scratches
Hypernyms (to "fret" is one way to...):
adjoin; contact; meet; touch (be in direct physical contact with; make contact)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Something ----s somebody
Meaning:
Remove soil or rock
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Synonyms:
eat away; erode; fret
Context example:
Rain eroded the terraces
Hypernyms (to "fret" is one way to...):
damage (inflict damage upon)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fret"):
wash (form by erosion)
Sentence frame:
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Wear away or erode
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Synonyms:
eat away; fret
Hypernyms (to "fret" is one way to...):
corrode; rust (become destroyed by water, air, or an etching chemical such as an acid)
Sentence frame:
Something ----s something
