[f. FRET v.1 + -ING1.] The action of FRET v.1 in various senses.
1. A slow gnawing or eating away; erosion, corrosion; also, the process of decaying or wasting.
1382. Wyclif, 1 Kings viii. 37. If that hungre were growen vp on the erthe, or were pestilence, or corrupt eyr, or fretynge, or locust, or rust.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVI. xlv. (1495), 568. Rust is … done awaye … by … fretyng of a sawe or a fyle.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., lxiv. 278 (Add. MS.). And the thirde day after she died, as by fretyng of the addres, of whos dethe was made grete sorow in the Cite.
1545. Ascham, Toxoph. (Arb.), 108. Buckles and agglettes at vnwares, shall race hys bowe, a thinge bothe euyll to the fyghte, and perilous for freatynge.
1599. Hakluyt, Voy., II. 161. No Wooll is lesse subiect to Mothes, or to fretting in presse, then this.
1793. G. White, Selborne, v. (1853), 22. These roads, running through the malm lands, are, by the traffic of ages, and the fretting of water, worn down through the first stratum of our freestone.
1878. A Masque of Poets, 106, The Bride of War.
| Like the fretting of worms on withered wood, | |
| The land was scarred with deeds not good. |
† b. A gnawing or pain (in the bowels). Obs.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 73/1. Chervynge, or fretynge in þe wombe, torcio.
1533. Elyot, Cast. Helthe, 24 a. The [Fennel] sede somewhat restrayneth fluxe, prouoketh to pysse, and mytigateth freattynges of the stomake and guttes.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, V. lxxviii. 646. Gripings and frettings of the belly.
2. Of fermented liquors: The process of undergoing a second and inactive fermentation.
a. 1700. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, Parell … poured into a Vessel of Wine to Cure it’s Fretting.
1745. Needham, Microsc. Disc., vii. 76. The fretting of Wine in the Spring Time … may be owing to a Fermentation.
1846. J. Baxter, Libr. Pract. Agric. (ed. 4), I. 171. Singing must be carefully distinguished from fretting. The former is the result of active, the latter of inactive, fermentation.
3. The action of irritating or chafing.
1546. Phaer, Bk. Childr. (1553), T vb. Some haue an ytch and a fretting of the skynne as yf it hadde bene rubbed with nettels.
1638. Sir R. Baker, trans. Letters of Mounsieur de Balzac (vol. II), 194. The onely Medicine that heales without corrupting, and cleanseth without fretting.
4. Vexation, worrying; an instance of this.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 115. Turment not thy selfe (my hert) with affliccyon & frettynge for that thynge that thou can not haue.
1583. Stanyhurst, Æneis, II. (Arb.), 46. With choloricque fretting I dumpt, and ranckled in anguish.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 83. They fall into passions, frettings, sweatings, pulling off their hats, and trembling fearfully.
a. 1716. Blackall, Wks. (1723), I. 46. By their continual Peevishness and Frettings, they become ten times more uneasy.
1860. Emerson, Cond. Life, Fate, Wks. (Bohn), II. 325. In age, we put out another sort of perspiration,—gout, fever, rheumatism, caprice, doubt, fretting and avarice.
