different between affray vs engagement

English

Alternative forms

• afray

Etymology

From Middle English affraien (“to terrify, frighten”), borrowed from Anglo-Norman afrayer (“to terrify, disquiet, disturb”) and Old French effreer, esfreer (“to disturb, remove the peace from”) (compare modern French effrayer), from Vulgar Latin *exfrid?re or from es- (“ex-”) + freer (“to secure, secure the peace”), from Frankish *friþu (“security, peace”), from Proto-Germanic *friþuz (“peace”), from *frij?n? (“to free; to love”), from Proto-Indo-European *pr?y-, *pr?y- (“to like, love”). Cognate with Old High German fridu (“peace”), Old English friþ (“peace, frith”), Old English fr?od (“peace, friendship”), German Friede (“peace”). Compare also afear. More at free, friend.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??f?e?/
• Rhymes: -e?

Verb

affray (third-person singular simple present affrays, present participle affraying, simple past and past participle affrayed)

1. (archaic, transitive) To startle from quiet; to alarm.
2. (archaic, transitive) To frighten; to scare; to frighten away.

Related terms

• afraid

Noun

affray (countable and uncountable, plural affrays)

1. The act of suddenly disturbing anyone; an assault or attack.
   • 2015, 8 November, "Rugby league journalist Gary Carter critically ill after Bethnal Green attack", BBC News [1]

     A 22-year-old man was also arrested in connection with the incident for affray towards attending paramedics.

2. A tumultuous assault or quarrel.
3. The fighting of two or more persons, in a public place, to the terror of others.

4. (obsolete) Terror.

Synonyms

• fray, brawl
• alarm, terror, fright

Related terms

• fray

Translations

English

Etymology

From French engagement.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?n??e?d??.m?nt/
• Hyphenation: en?gage?ment

Noun

engagement (countable and uncountable, plural engagements)

1. (countable) An appointment, especially to speak or perform.

   The lecturer has three speaking engagements this week.

2. (uncountable) Connection or attachment.

   Check the gears for full engagement before turning the handle.

3. (uncountable, by extension, about human emotional state) The feeling of being compelled, drawn in, connected to what is happening, interested in what will happen next.
4. (countable, uncountable) The period of time when marriage is planned or promised.

   We are enjoying a long engagement, but haven't yet set a date.

5. (countable, uncountable) In any situation of conflict, an actual instance of active hostilities.

   The engagement resulted in many casualties.

6. (fencing, countable) The point at which the fencers are close enough to join blades, or to make an effective attack during an encounter.

   After engagement it quickly became clear which of the fencers was going to prevail.

Synonyms

• commitment
• action

Antonyms

• apathy

• disengagement

Derived terms

• engagement ring
• disengagement

Related terms

• engage

Translations

See also

• battle
• campaign

References

French

Etymology

engager +? -ment.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??.?a?.m??/

Noun

engagement m (plural engagements)

1. commitment
2. engagement

Further reading

• “engagement” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Norman

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

engagement m (plural engagements)

1. (Jersey) engagement