Definition of Chafe

1. Verb. Become or make sore by or as if by rubbing.

Exact synonyms: Fret, Gall
Generic synonyms: Irritate
Derivative terms: Fret, Gall, Gall

2. Noun. Soreness and warmth caused by friction. "He had a nasty chafe on his knee"
Generic synonyms: Rawness, Soreness, Tenderness

3. Verb. Feel extreme irritation or anger. "He was chafing at her suggestion that he stay at home while she went on a vacation"
Generic synonyms: Experience, Feel
Related verbs: Annoy, Bother, Devil, Get At, Get To, Gravel, Irritate, Nark, Nettle, Rag, Rile, Vex

4. Noun. Anger produced by some annoying irritation.
Exact synonyms: Annoyance, Vexation
Generic synonyms: Anger, Choler, Ire
Specialized synonyms: Irritation, Pique, Temper, Frustration, Aggravation, Exasperation, Harassment, Torment, Displeasure

5. Verb. Cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations. "The performance is likely to chafe Sue"; "It irritates me that she never closes the door after she leaves"

6. Verb. Tear or wear off the skin or make sore by abrading. "This leash chafes the dog's neck"
Exact synonyms: Excoriate
Generic synonyms: Abrade, Abrase, Corrade, Rub Down, Rub Off
Derivative terms: Excoriation

7. Verb. Cause friction. "My sweater scratches"
Exact synonyms: Fray, Fret, Rub, Scratch
Generic synonyms: Adjoin, Contact, Meet, Touch
Derivative terms: Rubbing, Scratch

8. Verb. Warm by rubbing, as with the hands.
Generic synonyms: Warm

Definition of Chafe

1. v. t. To excite heat in by friction; to rub in order to stimulate and make warm.

2. v. i. To rub; to come together so as to wear by rubbing; to wear by friction.

3. n. Heat excited by friction.

Definition of Chafe

1. Noun. Heat excited by friction. ¹

2. Noun. Injury or wear caused by friction. ¹

3. Noun. Vexation; irritation of mind; rage. ¹

4. Verb. (transitive) To excite heat in by friction; to rub in order to stimulate and make warm. ¹

5. Verb. (transitive) To excite passion or anger in; to fret; to irritate. ¹

6. Verb. (transitive) To fret and wear by rubbing; as, to chafe a cable. ¹

7. Verb. (intransitive) To rub; to come together so as to wear by rubbing; to wear by friction. ¹

8. Verb. (intransitive) To be worn by rubbing; as, a cable chafes. ¹

9. Verb. (intransitive) To have a feeling of vexation; to be vexed; to fret; to be irritated. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Chafe

1. to warm by rubbing [v CHAFED, CHAFING, CHAFES]

Medical Definition of Chafe

1. To cause irritation of the skin by friction. Origin: Fr. Chauffer, to heat, fr. L. Calefacio, to make warm (05 Mar 2000)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Chafe

chaetae
chaetal
chaetiferous
chaetocin
chaetodon
chaetognath
chaetognathan
chaetognathous
chaetognaths
chaetomium
chaetophorous
chaetopod
chaetopods
chaetotaxies
chaetotaxy
chafe (current term)
chafed
chafer
chaferies
chafers
chafery
chafes
chafeweed
chaff
chaffed
chaffer
chaffered
chafferer
chafferers
chafferies

Literary usage of Chafe

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Report of the Trial of the Hon. Samuel Chase, One of the Associate Justices by Samuel Chase, Charles Evans, United States Congress Senate (1805)
"That he had more than that judge chafe arrived in Richmond. Imme- „owing to him, but did not exprit to rr- diately after his arrival I waited on him, ..."

2. The Sportsman's Dictionary: Or The Gentleman's Companion: for Town and ...Sports (1800)
"When the chafe goes off, and comes on again, tra- verling the lame ground to ... draw on till they rouze or put up the chafe, they lay they draw at the ft*. ..."

3. The Fourth Part of the Institutes of the Laws of England: Concerning the ...by Edward Coke by Edward Coke (1671)
"^98 34 The owner may cut down his woods in a chafe, build a lodge, ... a Warren within a free chafe, may The King cannot make a chafe in other mens grounds. ..."

4. A General Abridgment of Law and Equity: Alphabetically Digested Under Proper by Charles Viner (1792)
"... his chafe of W.) yet they ... to ground a reputation, that they were parcel of the chafe. 2 Sid. i. Mich. 1657. ..."

5. The Critical Review, Or, Annals of Literature by Tobias George Smollett (1782)
"Ridiculus mus. x The Royal chafe, a Poem. $to. is. ... there is not a duller dog than the author of this chafe: not a foxhunter in the kingdom could have ..."

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