One of the mysteries of the English language finally explained.
An instance of group fighting in a public place that disturbs the peace.‘Lowe was charged with causing an affray’mass noun ‘a person guilty of affray’
fight, brawl, battle, engagement, encounter, confrontation, melee, clash, skirmish, scuffle, tussle, fracas, altercationView synonyms
- ‘The plaintiff was the widow of a man killed in a criminal affray.’
- ‘At a hearing earlier this month, the accused pleaded guilty to causing an affray during a fight in a pub in April.’
- ‘His criminal record also includes armed robbery, affray, assault, theft and public order offences.’
- ‘They all plead not guilty and also deny affray following a confrontation outside a nightclub before the attack.’
- ‘Admitting affray and criminal damage, he was jailed for 14 months.’
Middle English (in the general sense ‘disturbance, fray’): from Anglo-Norman French afrayer ‘disturb, startle’, based on an element of Germanic origin related to Old English frithu ‘peace, safety’ (compare with German Friede ‘peace’).
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