Also 4–9 frette, 5–6 frete, (6 Sc. fratt). [app. a. OF. frete trellis-work, interlaced work (mod.F. frette, in the heraldic sense = 2).
This sb. and the related FRET v.2 are commonly believed to represent the OE. frætwe pl., ornaments, frætw(i)an to adorn, but this appears to be phonologically inadmissible, and many of the usual phraseological combinations of the words in ME. are paralleled by similar uses in OF.]
1. Ornamental interlaced work; a net; an ornament (esp. for the hair) consisting of jewels or flowers in a network.
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., Prol. A 147.
| A frette of goold sche hadde next hyre her, | |
| A frette of goold sche hadde next hyre her. | |
| Ibid., B 226. | |
| Y-clothed was this mighty god of love | |
| In silke, enbrouded ful of grene greves, | |
| In-with a fret of rede rose-leves. |
1393. Gower, Conf., II. 228.
| With frette of perle upon his hede | |
| All fresshe betwene the white and red. |
1418. E. E. Wills (1882), 36. Coueret of þe same wroght wit mapil leues and fret of a .iij. foill.
c. 1475[?]. Sqr. lowe Degre, 211.
| In the myddes of your sheld ther shal be set | |
| A ladyes head, with many a frete. |
1488. in Tytler, Hist. Scot. (1864), II. 392. Item a frete of the quenis oure set with grete perle, sett in fouris & fouris.
a. 1500. Flower & Leaf, 152.
| Everich on her head | |
| A rich fret of gold, which without dread | |
| Was full of stately riche stones set. |
1516. Inventories (1815), 26. Item ane paclott of crammesy satene with ane fratt of gold on it with xii. diamantis.
1603. Drayton, Bar. Wars, VI. xliii.
| About the Border, in a fine-wrought Fret | |
| Emblem’s, Empressa’s, Hieroglyphics, set. |
1867. Morris, Jason, VII. 189.
| Unto her fragrant breast her hand she set, | |
| And drew therefrom a bag of silken fret. |
2. Her. Originally, a figure formed by two bendlets, dexter and sinister, intersecting; = F. frette. (Cf. FRETTY.) In later use, ‘a figure formed by two narrow bands in saltire, interlaced with a Mascle’ (Cussans).
1572. Bossewell, Armorie, II. 85 b. The Fret borne in this Cote Armour, is founde borne also of diuerse noble Gentlemen, of seueral mettal and colours.
1603. Drayton, Bar. Wars, II. xxiv.
| In his white Cornet Verdon doth display | |
| A fret of Gueles, priz’d in this mortall game, | |
| That had been seene in many a doubtfull fray, | |
| His lances penons stayned with the same. |
1761. Brit. Mag., II. 149. Arms … in the second and third, a fret, or.
1864. Boutell, Heraldry Hist. & Pop., xv. 224. Hugh, the head of the family, bears the frette without any difference.
3. † a. Arch. Carved ornament, esp. in ceilings, consisting of intersecting lines in relief. Obs.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 111. We see in Garden-knots, and the Frets of Houses, and all equall and well-answering Figures, (as Globes, Pryamides, Cones, Cylinders, &c.) how they please.
1635. Althorp MS., in Simpkinson, Washingtons, App., p. lxxi. To Butler & his boye 6 dayes a peece plastering the frett in the drawinge Chamber.
1664. Evelyn, trans. Freart’s Archit., 138. Roofs … most magnificently Emboss’d with Fretts of wonderful relievo.
b. An ornamental pattern composed of continuous combinations of straight lines, joined usually at right angles. Also attrib.
1664. Evelyn, trans. Freart’s Arch., II. ix. 110. This Ornament [the Fret] consists in a certain interlacing of two Lists or small Fillets, which run always in parallel distances equal to their breadth, with this necessary condition, that at every return and intersection they do always fall into right angles.
1665–76. Rea, Flora, 8. For the placing some Plants and Flowers in this Garden, which we design to be of thirty yards square, with a railed Fret of twenty three divisions, and a latticed Border.
1833. J. Holland, Manuf. Metal, II. 172. The fret, an ornament, either of open filigree work, or cast in bold relief, and denominated, according to its character, scroll, leafage, cable, &c. It is placed immediately beneath the lowest bar or fret-rail, and in the best kind of stoves it is made stationary.
1836. H. G. Knight, Archit. Tour Normandy, 199. The most common mouldings are the billet, the nail-head, the chevron, the zig-zag or embattled frette, [etc.].
1857. Birch, Anc. Pottery (1858), II. 4. The fret or herring-bone is of common occurrence on vases of the oldest style, disposed in horizontal or vertical bands, either in a single or triple line.
1879. J. J. Young, Ceram. Art, 209. In the kylix on the right, the rectilinear designs and enclosed squares become the fret.
4. Comb., as fret-cutting vbl. sb., the cutting of wood with a fret saw into ornamental designs; also attrib.; fretwood, wood prepared for FRETWORK (sense 2). Also FRET-SAW.
1881. F. Young, Every man his own Mechanic, § 530. Brackets, paper-cases, book-stands, and a variety of small pieces of ornamental furniture of this kind can be adorned most effectively by fret-cutting. Ibid., § 663. A fret-cutting treadle machine.
1885. Bazaar, 30 March, 1262/3. 12 ft. planed fretwood.
