Af*fray" (&?;), v. t. [p. p. Affrayed.] [OE. afraien, affraien, OF. effreer, esfreer, F. effrayer, orig. to disquiet, put out of peace, fr. L. ex + OHG. fridu peace (akin to E. free). Cf. Afraid, Fray, Frith inclosure.] [Archaic] 1. To startle from quiet; to alarm.

Smale foules a great heap
That had afrayed [affrayed] me out of my sleep.
Chaucer.

2. To frighten; to scare; to frighten away.

That voice doth us affray.
Shak.

Af*fray" (&?;), n. [OE. afrai, affrai, OF. esfrei, F. effroi, fr. OF. esfreer. See Affray, v. t.] 1. The act of suddenly disturbing any one; an assault or attack. [Obs.]

2. Alarm; terror; fright. [Obs.] Spenser.

3. A tumultuous assault or quarrel; a brawl; a fray. "In the very midst of the affray." Motley.

4. (Law) The fighting of two or more persons, in a public place, to the terror of others. Blackstone.

&fist; A fighting in private is not, in a legal sense, an affray.

Syn. -- Quarrel; brawl; scuffle; encounter; fight; contest; feud; tumult; disturbance.

• The act of suddenly disturbing any one; an assault or attack.
  
• A tumultuous assault or quarrel.
  
• The fighting of two or more persons, in a public place, to the terror of others.
       The affray in the busy marketplace caused great terror and disorder.
  
• To startle from quiet; to alarm.
  
• To frighten; to scare; to frighten away.