fret
UK: /fret/ | US: /fret/
v. to worry or be agitated about something
v. to gradually wear away by rubbing or gnawing
n. a state of irritation or anxiety
n. (music) a ridge on the neck of a stringed instrument
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The word "fret" traces back to Old English fretan, meaning "to devour" or "to gnaw," from Proto-Germanic fra-etan (composed of fra- "completely" + etan "to eat"). Over time, its meaning expanded metaphorically to include emotional "gnawing" (worry) and physical erosion. The musical sense (ridge on a fingerboard) likely derives from the idea of "wearing" grooves into the wood.
She began to fret about the upcoming exam.
The river fretted away at the rocks over centuries.
His constant fretting made the situation worse.
The guitarist adjusted the strings near the fifth fret.
Don’t fret over small mistakes—learn from them.