Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Affray, n. Also: afray, affrey. [ME. affray (1303), OF. effrei: see the v. and cf. Effray n.]

1. A state of alarm or fear, fright or terror; panic. Freq. in (gret, etc.) affray. 1375 Barb. iii. 26.
The king his men saw in affray Ib. vi. 423; etc.
Thai war in-to full gret affray a1400 Leg. S. xl. 1295.
Thane waknyt he in gret affray c1420 Wynt. ix. 130.
A gret affray amang thame ras ?1438 Alex. i. 1407.
He could fle fairly, but affray 1456 Hay II. 55/17.
A lytill misreugle or affray makis all to flee c1500-c1512 Dunb. Th. & Rose 187.
Than vp I lenyt, halflingis in affrey 1513 Doug. v. xii. 23.
The wemen al, for dreid and affray, Fled heir and thair c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3126; etc.
Gret Elephantis … Quhareof the Yndianis tuke affray a1578 Pitsc. I. 394/2.
The king walknit out of his sleip in ane great affray 1621 Misc. Maitl. C. I. 459.
Quherby the towne was put in affray

2. A cause or occasion of alarm, etc. c1420 Wynt. iv. 351.
This Cresus eftyre this affray On a nycht in his bed lay a1500 Rauf C. 507.
I war ane fule gif I fled, and fand nane affray 1533 Bell. Livy I. 253/22.
Becaus thai war astonist be this suddane affray, he assaleȝeit thame feirslie c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1461.
The ark … lay … Welterand amang the stremes wode, With mony terrabyll affrayis