▪ I. † deˈfray, n. Obs. rare—1.
[f. defray v.1: cf. OF. desfroi, deffray, defrai, f. desfrayer: see next.]
Defrayal.
| 1615 Chapman Odyss. xiv. 730 Thou..shalt not need, Or coat, or other thing..for defray Of this night's need. |
▪ II. defray, v.1
(dɪˈfreɪ)
Also 6 defraie, deffray, 7 defraye.
[a. F. défraye-r, in 14th c. deffroier, 15th c. deffroyer, 16th c. desfrayer, f. des-, de- (de- I. 3, 6 + OF. fraier, freier, froyer to spend, incur expense, f. frai, in 14th c. frait, pl. frais, 13th c. fres, expenses, charges, cost.]
† 1. To pay out, expend, spend, disburse (money).
| 1543–4 Act 35 Hen. VIII, c. 12 Inestimable summes of treasure, to be employed and defrayed about the same. c 1555 Harpsfield Divorce Hen. VIII (1878) 241 There is emption and vendition contracted as soon as the parties be condescended upon the price, though there be no money presently defrayed. 1600 Holland Livy xxxix. v. 1026 The Senate permitted Fulvius to deffray (inpenderet) what he would himselfe, so as hee exceeded not the summe of 80000 [Asses]. a 1610 Healey tr. Epictetus' Man. xxxii. (1636) 43 Nor hast thou defrayed the price that the banquet is sold for: namely praise, and flatterie. 1613 R. C. Table Alph. (ed. 3), Defraye, lay out, pay, discharge. |
2. To discharge (the expense or cost of anything) by payment; to pay, meet, settle.
| 1570–6 Lambarde Peramb. Kent (1826) 110 The King shall defray the wages. 1587 in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. ii. III. 130 The College cannot possibly defray its ordinary expenses without some other help, over and beyond the ordinary revenues. 1639 Fuller Holy War iv. xiii. (1840) 202 Meladin..offered the Christians..a great sum of money to defray their charges. 1745 in Col. Rec. Penn. V. 6 To draw Bills for defraying the Expence. 1838 Thirlwall Greece II. 208 The cost of the expedition to Naxos he pledged himself to defray. 1868 Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) II. ix. 404 The payment was defrayed out of the spoils. |
b. fig.
| 1580 Sidney Arcadia (1674) 328 With the death of some one striving to defray every drop of his blood. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. v. 42 Can Night defray The wrath of thundring Joue. 1596 Ibid. iv. v. 31 Nought but dire revenge his anger mote defray. |
3. To meet the expense of; to bear the charge of; pay for. Now rare or arch.
| 1581 Lambarde Eiren. iv. xxi. (1588) 623 To bestowe the whole allowance upon the defraying of their common diet. 1587 Fleming Contn. Holinshed III. 1371/2 The enterprise..to be defraied by the pope and king of Spaine. c 1645 Howell Lett. i. i. xi, It serv'd to defray the expenceful Progress he made to Scotland the Summer following. 1830 De Quincey Bentley Wks. VII. 64 A poor exchequer for defraying a war upon Bentley. 1859 C. Barker Assoc. Princ. ii. 51 The estate of the defunct member was not sufficient to defray his funeral. |
† 4. To pay the charges or expenses of (a person); to reimburse; to entertain free of charge.
| 1580 Sidney Arcadia i. (1590) 5 Defraying the mariners with a ring bestowed upon them. 1607 E. Hoby in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. i. III. 87 He..would not land at Dover till he had indented with Sir Thomas Waller that he should be defrayed during his aboad. a 1626 Bacon New Atl. (1650) 7 The State will defray you all the time you stay. 1686 F. Spence tr. Varillas' Ho. Medici 44 The Pitti's were defray'd at Venice at the public cost. 1724 De Foe Mem. Cavalier (1860) 80 A warrant to defray me, my horses and servants at the King's charge. 1858 Carlyle Fredk. Gt. I. iv. iv. 424 Such a man [Czar Peter] is to be royally defrayed while with us; yet one would wish it done cheap. |
Hence deˈfraying vbl. n.
| 1587 R. Hovenden in Hearne Collect. (Oxf. Hist. Soc.) I. 195 The defraieinge of our..expences. 1632 Lithgow Trav. ix. 387 Disbursed..for..high-wayes, Lords pensions, and other defrayings. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. iv. xliv. 336 The defraying of all publique charges. 1783 Ainsworth Lat. Dict. (Morell) i, A defraying, pecuniæ erogatio. |
▪ III. † deˈfray, v.2 Obs.
[app. a. OF. *des-, defraier, f. des-, de- (de- II. 3, 6) + freier, froier, fraier to rub, rub off, fray:—L. fricāre to rub.]
trans. ? To rub off or away.
| 1532 R. Bowyer in Strype Eccl. Mem. I. xvii. 135 He intendeth not to infringe, annul, derogate, defray or minish anything of the popes authority. |
▪ IV. [defray
error for desray, deray.]