v. t. [ p. p. Affrayed. ] [ OE. afraien, affraien, OF. effreer, esfreer, F. effrayer, orig. to disquiet, put out of peace, fr. L. ex + OHG. fridu peace (akin to E. free). Cf. Afraid, Fray, Frith inclosure. ] [ Archaic ] 1. To startle from quiet; to alarm. [ 1913 Webster ]

Smale foules a great heap
That had afrayed [ affrayed ] me out of my sleep. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To frighten; to scare; to frighten away. [ 1913 Webster ]

That voice doth us affray. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. afrai, affrai, OF. esfrei, F. effroi, fr. OF. esfreer. See Affray, v. t. ] 1. The act of suddenly disturbing any one; an assault or attack. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Alarm; terror; fright. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A tumultuous assault or quarrel; a brawl; a fray. “In the very midst of the affray.” Motley. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Law) The fighting of two or more persons, in a public place, to the terror of others. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ A fighting in private is not, in a legal sense, an affray. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Quarrel; brawl; scuffle; encounter; fight; contest; feud; tumult; disturbance. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One engaged in an affray. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Affray. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]