Fret
/frɛt/noun
To feel or express worry, annoyance, or discontent.
Did you know?The Old English 'fretan' meant 'to devour' or 'to consume', linking anxiety to a more primal, consuming force within us.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*fretaną
“To devour or consume, often used in the context of hunger or destruction.”
Old English
OE
fretan
“To devour, consume, or eat away.”
Middle English
ME
fretten
“To eat away or gnaw, often associated with worry or anxiety.”
Early Modern English
EModE
fret
“To become agitated or distressed, reflecting a mental consumption.”
Modern English
Eng
fret
“To feel or express worry, annoyance, or discontent, evolving from its devouring roots.”