affray

Meaning

Verb

1. (archaic, transitive) To startle from quiet; to alarm.
2. (archaic, transitive) To frighten; to scare; to frighten away.

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) The act of suddenly disturbing anyone; an assault or attack.
2. (countable, uncountable) A tumultuous assault or quarrel.
3. (countable, uncountable) The fighting of two or more persons, in a public place, to the terror of others.
4. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) Terror.

Synonyms

riot

scuffle

fray

disturbance

fracas

fight

quarrel

tussle

mayhem

ruffle

brawl

row

melee

tumult

altercation

set-to

skirmish

stir

strife

struggle

turmoil

dustup

set to

agitation

engagment

bust-up

clamour

clash

clutter

confusion

disorder

dispute

encounter

engagement

fighting

havoc

muddle

promiscuity

ruction

Translations

bagarre

refriega

reyerta

Schlägerei

Krawall

συμπλοκή

Aufruhr

échauffourée

rixe

Getümmel

Prügelei

Rauferei

Aufstand

Tumult

φιλονικία

Pronounced as (IPA)

/əˈfɹeɪ/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: affraien

Cognate with Old High German: fridu

Cognate with Old English: friþ

Cognate with Old English: frēod

Cognate with German: Friede

In summary

From Middle English affraien (“to terrify, frighten”), borrowed from Anglo-Norman afrayer (“to terrify, disquiet, disturb”) and Old French effreer, esfreer (“to disturb, remove the peace from”) (compare modern French effrayer), from Vulgar Latin *exfridāre.
The second part of this is in turn from Frankish *friþu (“security, peace”), from Proto-Germanic *friþuz (“peace”), from *frijōną (“to free; to love”), from Proto-Indo-European *prāy-, *prēy- (“to like, love”). Cognate with Old High German fridu (“peace”), Old English friþ (“peace, frith”), Old English frēod (“peace, friendship”), German Friede (“peace”). More at free, friend.