fray

IPA: frˈeɪ

(archaic or obsolete) A consequence of rubbing, unravelling, or wearing away; a fraying; also, a place where fraying has occurred.
(countable) A noisy commotion, especially resulting from fighting; a brawl, a fight; also, a loud quarrel.
(countable, figuratively) A heated argument; a war of words.
(uncountable) Conflict, disagreement.
(obsolete)
(countable) An assault or attack.
(countable) A loud noise; a cacophony, a din.
(except Scotland, uncountable) Fright, terror; (countable) an instance of this.
A surname.

(transitive)
(also figuratively) To rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction; also, to irritate (something) through chafing or rubbing; to chafe.
(specifically) Of a deer: to rub (its antlers or head) against a tree, etc., to remove the velvet from antlers or to mark territory; also, to rub its antlers against (a tree, etc.) for that purpose.
To force or make (a path, way, etc.) through.
(obsolete) To bruise (someone or something); also, to take the virginity of (someone, usually a female person); to deflower.
(intransitive)
To become unravelled or worn; to unravel.
To rub.
(specifically) Of a deer: to rub its antlers against a tree, etc., to remove the velvet or to mark territory.
(figuratively) Of a person's mental strength, nerves, temper, etc.: to become exhausted or worn out.
(except poetic) To alarm or frighten (someone or something).
Often followed by away, off, or out: to frighten or scare (someone or something) away.
(by extension)
To assail or attack (someone or something); to drive (someone or something) away by attacking.
To chase (someone or something) away; to disperse.
To be afraid or frightened; to fear.
To make an assault or attack; also, to create a disturbance; to brawl, to fight.
(transitive, obsolete, rare) To bear the expense of (something); to defray.

Examples of "fray" in Sentences

It's great for small kitchen wares, but hidden away in the fray is Mercado Senora, or the "witches market."
Real Madrid also got back into the title fray, beating Valencia 2-0 after Barcelona could only draw 0-0 with Espanyol.
One of the most prominent voices to jump into the fray is popular right-wing radio host and author Mark Levin, who went on Facebook yesterday and ripped Beck:
While this fray is playing itself out, President Barack Obama announces that, in the spirit of his long-hoped-for "bipartisanship," he is not merely willing but actually eager to work with the new Republican House and Republican Senate on budgetary matters.