▪ I. effray
obs. var. affray n.
1375 Barbour Bruce v. 113 In sic effray thai baid that nycht. 1483 Caxton G. de la Tour B iij, For no gentil wymmen ought to make none effrayes in them. 1553 Douglas æneis (ed. 1) xi. xvii. 67 Acca schawis to him and all his feris The huge effray [ed. Small affray]. |
▪ II. † eˈffray, v. Obs.
[a. F. effraye-r: see affray.]
1. trans. To frighten; to affect with fear; to alarm, startle.
1375 Barbour Bruce vii. 610 Thai effrayit war suddanly. 1480 Caxton Chron. Eng. ccxiv. 201 Moche other folke were sore effrayed. 1500–20 Dunbar This. & Rose 68 And that no schouris nor blastis cawld Effray suld flouris nor fowles on the fold. 1596 Spenser F.Q. i. i. 16 Their dam upstart out of her den effraide. |
2. To keep off by frightening; to scare.
1588 A. King tr. Canisius' Catech. 58 Fra y{supi}{sups} profane noueltie..effrayis vs y⊇ Apostolique..doctrine. |
3. To feel fear of; to fear.
1485 Caxton Trevisa's Higden (1527) iii. xxx. 122, I lyue in grete drede and effray myne owne wardyens. |
Hence effrayed ppl. a., frightened, shaking with fear. eˈffrayedly adv., in an alarmed manner, as men do who are alarmed. eˈffraying vbl. n., the state of being afraid; fright. All Obs.
1375 Barbour Bruce v. 110 The men..full effraytly gat thair ger. Ibid. ix. 599 The Inglis..war stonayit for effrayng. 1533 Bellenden Livy ii. (1822) 150 The senate effrayetlie convenit to this counsell, and wes mair effrayetlie consultit. 1553 Douglas æneis ix. iii. (ed. 1) 170 Wyth pikkis brekand doun Zone forteres, and now..wyth me Assailzeant this effrayit strenth. |