Fray

Noun

 * 1) Affray; broil; contest; combat; brawl; melee.
 * Though they did not know the reason for the dispute, they did not hesitate to leap into the fray.

Verb

 * 1)  To unravel; used particularly for the edge of something made of cloth, or the end of a rope.
 * The ribbon frayed at the cut end.
 * 1)  To cause exhaustion, wear out (a person's mental strength).
 * The stressful day ended in frayed nerves. (Metaphorical use; nerves are visualised as strings)

Adjectives for Fray
deadly; fair; bloody; lawless; late; obstinate; youthful; horrid; clamorous; devilish; holy; mimic; thundering; insidious; nefarious.

Verbs for Fray
charge into—; clash in—; commence—; crush in—; curb—; describe—; indulge in —; inquire into—; instigate—; interrupt—; involve in—; occasion—; plunge into—; raise—; referee—; —boils; —disperses; — frightens; —irritates; —unnerves; —disturbs.

Thesaurus
ablate, abrade, abrase, abrasion, action, aerial combat, affray, altercation, armored combat, bark, battle, battle royal, blemish, bloody, brawl, break, broil, brush, bullfight, burn, chafe, check, chip, clash, clash of arms, claw, cockfight, combat, concussion, conflict, contention, crack, crackle, craze, cut, discord, dispute, dissension, disturbance, dogfight, donnybrook, embroilment, erase, erode, exchange of blows, fight, file, fire fight, flash burn, fracas, fracture, frazzle, fret, gall, gash, gnaw, gnaw away, grate, graze, grind, ground combat, hand-to-hand combat, hand-to-hand fight, house-to-house combat, hurt, incise, incision, injure, injury, lacerate, laceration, lesion, maim, make mincemeat of, maul, melee, mortal wound, mutilate, mutilation, naval combat, passage of arms, pierce, pitched battle, puncture, quarrel, rasp, ravel, raze, rend, rent, rip, row, rub, rub away, rub off, rub out, ruckus, ruction, rumble, rumpus, run, running fight, rupture, savage, scald, scorch, scotch, scour, scramble, scrape, scratch, scrimmage, scrub, scuff, scuffle, second-degree burn, shoving match, shred, skin, skirmish, slash, slit, sore, sprain, stab, stab wound, stand-up fight, stick, strain, street fight, strife, struggle, tatter, tauromachy, tear, third-degree burn, trauma, traumatize, tug-of-war, tussle, unravel, wear, wear away, wear down, wear off, wear out, wear ragged, wear thin, weather, wound, wounds immedicable, wrangle, wrench

Etymology 2
From frayer: <  frico:.

Noun

 * Finnish:, rähinä
 * German:
 * Greek: διαμάχη,, συμπλοκή


 * Hebrew: קטטה,
 * Italian: agone, baruffa, mischia
 * Russian:, ,

Verb

 * Catalan: desfilar-se
 * Czech: třepit se
 * Finnish:, purkaantua
 * German: ausfransen


 * Hebrew: התבלה, ריפט
 * Norwegian:
 * Portuguese: desfiar


 * Czech: drásat
 * Finnish:, uuvuttaa
 * Hebrew: שחק, נשחק


 * Norwegian:
 * Russian: изнашиваться

Etymology
Apocope of fraile:.

Noun

 * 1) friar