---
title: fray — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «fray» in the school dictionary: If cloth or rope frays, its threads come loose at the edge and it starts to wear out. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# fray

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** cloth frays, edge, nerves, fray, you, Tempers · **What happens:** come, start, wear out, become, get, be · **To what, where:** edge, fight, fray, edges, frayed electric cable, second half · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«fray» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 7 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [fray in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/fray.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
If cloth or rope frays, its threads come loose at the edge and it starts to wear out.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fray:m1:1
# text = If cloth or rope frays, its threads come loose at the edge and it starts to wear out.
1	If	if	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
2	cloth	cloth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	rope	rope	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
5	frays	fray	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
7	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	threads	thread	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	_
9	come	come	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	loose	loose	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
11	at	at	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	edge	edge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
15	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	_
16	starts	start	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	conj	_	_
17	to	to	PART	TO	_	18	mark	_	_
18	wear	wear	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	16	xcomp	_	_
19	out	out	ADP	RP	_	18	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** | present | cloth frays |  |  | the edge |  | loose *property* | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme at edge=Location |
| 2 | **start** | present | edge |  |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 3 | **wear out** | to-infinitive | edge *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1-1 «NP V PP-Conative»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
If someone's nerves or temper fray, they become tense and start to get annoyed.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fray:m2:1
# text = If someone's nerves or temper fray, they become tense and start to get annoyed.
1	If	if	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
2	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	nerves	nerve	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nmod:poss	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	temper	temper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	_
7	fray	fray	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
9	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	become	become	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
11	tense	tense	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	xcomp	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	start	start	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	conj	_	_
14	to	to	PART	TO	_	15	mark	_	_
15	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	xcomp	_	_
16	annoyed	annoyed	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **become** | present | nerves *= nerve* |  |  |  |  | tense *property* | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **start** | infinitive | nerves *= nerve* *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 3 | **get** | to-infinitive | nerves *= nerve* *not said here* |  |  |  |  | annoyed *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The fray is a fight, argument or competition: «join the fray», «enter the fray».

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fray:m3:1
# text = The fray is a fight, argument or competition: «join the fray», «enter the fray».
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	fray	fray	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	fight	fight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	argument	argument	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	competition	competition	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	12	punct	_	_
11	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	join	join	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	5	parataxis	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	fray	fray	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
17	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	enter	enter	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	12	conj	_	_
19	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	fray	fray	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the fray | a fight and argument or competition |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **join** *in a quote* | infinitive |  | the fray |  |  |  |  | vn mix-22.1-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent fray=Patient |
| 3 | **enter** *in a quote* | infinitive |  | the fray |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme fray=Destination |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The edges of my jeans have started to fray.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fray:x1:1
# text = The edges of my jeans have started to fray.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	edges	edge	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	jeans	jeans	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	2	nmod	_	_
6	have	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
7	started	start	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	fray	fray	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **start** | present · perfect · passive |  | the edges of my jeans |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **fray** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Never use a frayed electric cable.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fray:x2:1
# text = Never use a frayed electric cable.
1	Never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	2	advmod	_	_
2	use	use	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
4	frayed	fray	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	amod	_	_
5	electric	electric	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	cable	cable	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **use** | imperative | you *not said here* | a frayed electric cable |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cable=Patient |
| 2 | **fray** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tempers frayed as the long car journey went on.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fray:x3:1
# text = Tempers frayed as the long car journey went on.
1	Tempers	temper	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	frayed	fray	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
5	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
6	car	car	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	journey	journey	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
9	on	on	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fray** | past | Tempers |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **go on** | past | the long car journey |  |  |  |  |  | vn function-105.2.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Another team entered the fray in the second half.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fray:x4:1
# text = Another team entered the fray in the second half.
1	Another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	team	team	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	entered	enter	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	fray	fray	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	second	second	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	9	amod	_	_
9	half	half	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing|NumForm=Word|NumType=Frac	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **enter** | past | another team | the fray |  | the second half |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme fray=Destination |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The knight rode into the fray.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fray:x5:1
# text = The knight rode into the fray.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	knight	knight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	rode	ride	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	into	into	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	fray	fray	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ride** | past | the knight |  |  | the fray |  |  | vn nonvehicle-51.4.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent into fray=Trajectory |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her nerves were frayed before the exam.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fray:x6:1
# text = Her nerves were frayed before the exam.
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	nerves	nerve	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	frayed	fray	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	before	before	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	exam	exam	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fray** | past · passive |  | Her nerves |  |  | before the exam |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: subject=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Then the ten thousand mighty lions joined the fray and tore in pieces man and horse.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fray:x7:1
# text = Then the ten thousand mighty lions joined the fray and tore in pieces man and horse.
1	Then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	7	advmod	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
3	ten	ten	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	4	compound	_	_
4	thousand	thousand	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
5	mighty	mighty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	lions	lion	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
7	joined	join	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	fray	fray	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	tore	tore	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	_
12	in	in	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	pieces	piece	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	compound	_	_
14	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	horse	horse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **join** | past | the thousand mighty lions | the fray and tore |  |  | then | in pieces man and horse | vn mix-22.1-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent fray=Patient |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
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