fray2 (fra)

[ We know that a sensitive skin, frayed by much friction, becomes thickened and callous if the friction is often repeated. H. Spencer, Prin. of Psychol., § 510. I... looked upward, and saw a narrow belt or scarf of silver fire stretching directly acro the zenith, with its loose, frayed ends slowly swaying to and fro down the slopes of the sky. B. Taylor, Northern Travel, p. 63. II. in trans. 1t. To rub against something. Ther myght a man haue sein many a helme hurled on an hepe, and many a shafte and shelde frayen togeder. Merlin (E. E. T. S.), iii. 594. Fraxineæ (frak-sin'ē-ē), n. pl. [NL.,