fret β to worry or be anxious about something continuously
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to worry or be anxious about something continuously
Pronunciation (IPA): /fret/
Example Sentences
- My mom frets so much about my dating life that she's practically running a background check service.
- Stop fretting about the presentation - you've rehearsed it a hundred times!
- He frets about everything from global warming to whether his socks match.
fret
VERB[/fret/]
to worry or be anxious about something continuously
She continued to fret about tomorrow's exam, biting her nails on the couch.
Don't fret over the net, just get it set!
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
π€Pronunciation
π³Etymology
Origin
The word derives from Old English 'fretan', originally meaning 'to eat up' or 'to devour'. Over time, the meaning evolved from literal consumption to physical wear and abrasion, and subsequently to the metaphorical sense of mental anxiety or worry.
Breakdown
Old English 'fretan' (to eat, devour) underwent semantic shift, narrowing to 'to wear away' or 'to corrode' through friction, then extending to 'to worry' or 'to be anxious', reflecting the image of worry eating away at the mind.
π΅Rhyme
πCollocations
πExamples
βMy mom frets so much about my dating life that she's practically running a background check service.β
βStop fretting about the presentation - you've rehearsed it a hundred times!β
βHe frets about everything from global warming to whether his socks match.β
βThe constant waves fretted the coastline over thousands of years.β
πRelated Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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