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fret
fret1
/ fret/
•
v.
(fret·ted
, fret·ting
)
1. [intr.]
be constantly or visibly worried or anxious:
she fretted about the cost of groceries |
I fretted that my fingers were so skinny.
∎ [tr.]
cause (someone) worry or distress.
2. [tr.]
gradually wear away (something) by rubbing or gnawing:
the bay's black waves fret the seafront.
∎
form (a channel or passage) by rubbing or wearing away.
∎ [intr.]
flow or move in small waves:
soft clay that fretted between his toes.
fret2
•
n.
1.
Art & Archit.
a repeating ornamental design of interlaced vertical and horizontal lines, such as the Greek key pattern.
2.
Heraldry
a device of narrow diagonal bands interlaced through a diamond.
•
v.
(fret·ted
, fret·ting
) [tr.] [usu. as adj.] (fretted)
decorate with fretwork:
intricately carved and fretted balustrades.
fret3
•
n.
each of a sequence of bars or ridges on the fingerboard of some stringed musical instruments (such as the guitar), used for fixing the positions of the fingers to produce the desired notes.
•
v.
(fret·ted
, fret·ting
) [tr.] [often as adj.] (fretted)
1.
provide (a stringed instrument) with frets.
2.
play (a note) while pressing the string down against a fret:
fretted notes.
DERIVATIVES:
fret·less
adj.
frets |
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Cite this article
"fret." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "fret." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-fret.html "fret." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-fret.html |
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fret
fret, frette, fretwork.
1. Meander, or band-like ornament of shallow short fillets touching each other at right angles, called variously angular guilloche, Greek key, or lattice, depending on the type. If some fillets are set diagonally it is called Chinese fret, found in Chinoiserie and Regency work. 2. Trelliswork. 3. Any interlacing raised work. 4. Complex patterns of ribs on a Gothic vault. 5. Net-like forms, as in tracery. |
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Cite this article
JAMES STEVENS CURL. "fret." A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JAMES STEVENS CURL. "fret." A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O1-fret.html JAMES STEVENS CURL. "fret." A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. 2000. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O1-fret.html |
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fret
fret2 (chiefly in pp. fretted) †adorned with interlaced work XIV; adorned with carved or embossed work XVII. prob. f. OF. freter, rel. to frete trellis, interlaced work (mod. frette), of unkn. orig.
So sb. XIV. prob. — OF. frete. Comp. fretwork XVIII. |
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Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "fret." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "fret." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-fret1.html T. F. HOAD. "fret." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-fret1.html |
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fret
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Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "fret." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "fret." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-fret.html T. F. HOAD. "fret." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-fret.html |
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fret
fret3 (mus.) bar of wood, etc., to regulate the pitch in some stringed instruments. XVI. of unkn. orig.
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Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "fret." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "fret." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-fret2.html T. F. HOAD. "fret." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-fret2.html |
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fret
fret
•abet, aiguillette, anisette, Annette, Antoinette, arête, Arlette, ate, baguette, banquette, barbette, barrette, basinet, bassinet, beget, Bernadette, beset, bet, Bette, blanquette, Brett, briquette, brochette, brunette (US brunet), Burnett, cadet, caravanette, cassette, castanet, cigarette (US cigaret), clarinet, Claudette, Colette, coquette, corvette, couchette, courgette, croquette, curette, curvet, Debrett, debt, dinette, diskette, duet, epaulette (US epaulet), flageolet, flannelette, forget, fret, galette, gazette, Georgette, get, godet, grisette, heavyset, Jeanette, jet, kitchenette, La Fayette, landaulet, launderette, layette, lazaret, leatherette, let, Lett, lorgnette, luncheonette, lunette, Lynette, maisonette, majorette, maquette, Marie-Antoinette, marionette, Marquette, marquisette, martinet, met, minaret, minuet, moquette, motet, musette, Nanette, net, noisette, nonet, novelette, nymphet, octet, Odette, on-set, oubliette, Paulette, pet, Phuket, picquet, pillaret, pincette, pipette, piquet, pirouette, planchette, pochette, quartet, quickset, quintet, regret, ret, Rhett, roomette, rosette, roulette, satinette, septet, serviette, sestet, set, sett, sextet, silhouette, soubrette, spinet, spinneret, statuette, stet, stockinet, sublet, suffragette, Suzette, sweat, thickset, threat, Tibet, toilette, tret, underlet, upset, usherette, vedette, vet, vignette, vinaigrette, wagonette, wet, whet, winceyette, yet, Yvette
•quodlibet • alphabet
•ramjet, scramjet
•propjet • turbojet • etiquette • outlet
•triolet • calumet • cermet
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Cite this article
"fret." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "fret." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-fret.html "fret." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-fret.html |
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