frayed
UK: freɪd | US: freɪd
adj. (of fabric or rope) worn or unraveled at the edge
adj. (of nerves or temper) showing signs of strain or irritation
frayed = fray<to unravel> + ed<past participle suffix>
- fray: From Old French freier (to rub, wear down), derived from Latin fricare (to rub). The sense evolved from physical rubbing to the unraveling of fabric edges.
- ed: A suffix forming past participles or adjectives indicating a state or condition.
Etymology Origin:
The word frayed traces back to the Latin fricare, meaning "to rub." Over time, the Old French freier adopted this meaning, which later entered English as fray—originally describing the physical wearing down of materials. The addition of -ed turned it into an adjective, capturing both literal (fabric) and metaphorical (nerves) wear.
The hem of her dress was frayed after years of use.
His patience grew frayed after hours of waiting.
The rope’s frayed ends made it unsafe for climbing.
Her voice sounded frayed from exhaustion.
The old book’s pages were frayed at the corners.