Part 4583

<p><b>2.</b> <fld>(Arch.)</fld> <def>An ornament consisting of smmall fillets or slats intersecting each other or bent at right angles, as in classical designs, or at obilique angles, as often in Oriental art.</def>

<blockquote>His lady's cabinet is a adorned on the <b>fret</b>, ceiling, and chimney-piece with . . . carving. <i>Evelyn.</i></blockquote>

<hr> <page="596"> Page 596<p>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>The reticulated headdress or net, made of gold or silver wire, in which ladies in the Middle Ages confined their hair.</def>

<blockquote>A <b>fret</b> of gold she had next her hair. <i>Chaucer.</i></blockquote>

<cs><col>Fret saw</col>, <cd>a saw with a long, narrow blade, used in cutting frets, scrolls, etc.; a scroll saw; a keyhole saw; a compass saw.</cd></cs>

<h1>Fret</h1> <Xpage=596>

<hw>Fret</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[F. <ets>frette</ets> a saltire, also a hoop, ferrule, prob. a dim. of L. <ets>ferrum</ets> iron. For sense 2, cf. also E. <ets>fret</ets> to rub.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <fld>(Her.)</fld> <def>A saltire interlaced with a mascle.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <fld>(Mus.)</fld> <def>A short piece of wire, or other material fixed across the finger board of a guitar or a similar instrument, to indicate where the finger is to be placed.</def>

<h1>Fret</h1> <Xpage=596>

<hw>Fret</hw>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <def>To furnish with frets, as an instrument of music.</def>

<h1>Fretful</h1> <Xpage=596>

<hw>Fret"ful</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[See 2d <er>Fret</er>.]</ety> <def>Disposed to fret; ill-humored; peevish; angry; in a state of vexation; <as>as, a <ex>fretful</ex> temper</as>.</def> -- <wordforms><wf>Fret"ful-ly</wf>, <tt>adv.</tt> -- <wf>Fret"ful-ness</wf>, <tt>n.</tt></wordforms>

<syn>Syn. -- Peevish; ill-humored; ill-natured; irritable; waspish; captious; petulant; splenetic; spleeny; passionate; angry.</syn> -- <usage><er>Fretful</er>, <er>Peevish</er>, <er>Cross</er>. These words all indicate an unamiable working and expression of temper. <i>Peevish<i> marks more especially the inward spirit: a <i>peevish<i> man is always ready to find fault. <i>Fretful<i> points rather to the outward act, and marks a complaining impatience: sickly children are apt to be <i>fretful<i>. <i>Crossness<i> is peevishness mingled with vexation or anger.</usage>

<h1>Frett</h1> <Xpage=596>

<hw>Frett</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[See 2d <er>Fret</er>.]</ety> <fld>(Mining)</fld> <def>The worn side of the bank of a river. See 4th <er>Fret</er>, <tt>n.</tt>, 4.</def>

<h1>Frett</h1> <Xpage=596>

<hw>Frett</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[See <er>Frit</er>.] <def>A vitreous compound, used by potters in glazing, consisting of lime, silica, borax, lead, and soda.</def>

<h1>Fretted</h1> <Xpage=596>

<hw>Fret"ted</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>p. p. & a.</tt> <ety>[From 2d <er>Fret</er>.]</ety>

<p><b>1.</b> <def>Rubbed or worn away; chafed.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>Agitated; vexed; worried.</def>

<h1>Fretted</h1> <Xpage=596>

<hw>Fret"ted</hw>, <tt>p. p. & a.</tt> <ety>[See 5th <er>Fret</er>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>Ornamented with fretwork; furnished with frets; variegated; made rough on the surface.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <fld>(Her.)</fld> <def>Interlaced one with another; -- said of charges and ordinaries.</def>

<h1>Fretten</h1> <Xpage=596>

<hw>Fret"ten</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[The old p. p. of fret to rub.]</ety> <def>Rubbed; marked; <as>as, pock-<ex>fretten</ex>, marked with the smallpox</as>.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Wright.</i>