Affraying

Pronunciation: /əˈfreɪɪŋ/

Definitions of affraying

verb to cause fear, alarm, or confusion; to disturb or trouble

Example Sentences

A1 The loud noise affrayed the small child.

A2 She was affrayed by the sudden appearance of a spider.

B1 The dark alley affrayed the group of tourists.

B2 The unexpected news affrayed the entire community.

C1 The prospect of war affrayed the diplomats.

C2 His calm demeanor affrayed those who expected a strong reaction.

Examples of affraying in a Sentence

formal The authorities were called to the scene to break up the affraying crowd.

informal The party turned into a bit of an affraying mess after a few drinks.

slang Things got real affraying at the club last night.

figurative The conflicting opinions in the meeting were affraying and led to a heated discussion.

Grammatical Forms of affraying

• past tense: affrayed
• plural: affrayings
• comparative: more affraying
• superlative: most affraying
• present tense: affrays
• future tense: will affray
• perfect tense: have affrayed
• continuous tense: is affraying
• singular: affraying
• positive degree: affraying
• infinitive: to affray
• gerund: affraying
• participle: affraying

Origin and Evolution of affraying

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Middle English

Story behind the word: The word 'affraying' originated from Middle English, derived from the Old French word 'esfreiier' meaning to disturb or frighten.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the meaning of 'affraying' shifted from simply disturbing or frightening to specifically referring to a public disturbance or brawl.