Also chaffing. [f. CHAFE v. + -ING1.]
1. The action of the verb CHAFE, q.v., in its various senses.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVII. liv. (1495), 635. The juys of Elitropium … helpyth moche ayenst chauffyng and stoppynge of the lyuour.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 68. Chafynge, confricacio.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 100/3. Wythout felyng of ony hete or chauffyng.
1555. Eden, Decades W. Ind. (Arb.), 227. Vncessant rubbynge & chafynge.
1575. Laneham, Lett. (1871), 17. With spitefull obrayds and vncharitabl chaffings alweiz they freat.
1577. Northbrooke, Dicing (1843), 128. There is no harm if they play … without swearing, chafing, or couetousnesse.
1580. Hollyband, Treas. Fr. Tong, Eschauffement, chafing, warming, heating.
c. 1590. Marlowe, Faust., viii. 6. He keeps such a chafing with my mistress about it.
1600. Holland, Livy, II. xxix. 62 k. There was more clamour, brawling and chafing than any hurt done.
1656. Ridgley, Pract. Physic, 265. Until the part be first heated by Chafing.
1826. E. Irving, Babylon, I. II. 151. The chaffing of its [the sea’s] rocky and pebbled bed.
1845. R. W. Hamilton, Pop. Educ., x. (ed. 2), 314. The chafings of party strife.
1873. G. C. Davies, Mount. & Mere, xvi. 142. The chafing of the sheets, the rattling of the blocks, and the whistling of the gale in the shrouds, made conversation an impossibility.
2. Comb., as chafing-cheeks sb. pl. (Naut.), ‘a name given by old sailors to the sheaves instead of blocks on the yards in light-rigged vessels’; chafing-gear (Naut.), ‘the stuff put upon the rigging and spars to prevent their being chafed’ (Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk.); chafing-mat (see quot.); chafing-pan = CHAFING-DISH.
1840. R. H. Dana, Bef. Mast, iii. 5. Wherever any of the … ropes … are chafing or wearing upon it, there ‘chafing gear,’ as it is called, must be put on.
1867. Chamb. Jrnl., 30 Nov., 767–8. An improved chafing-pan … which instead of fuel, has a small lamp.
1882. Daily Tel., 12 Sept., 2/1. Dead-eyes to turn in, chafing gear to look after, reef-points to knot.
1883. J. J. Wait, in Century Mag., Oct., 941/1. All hands were busy making and putting on chafing-mats to protect those parts of the rigging most exposed to wear in this continual shaking.
