Obs. Also 6 fretissh, freatish, 6–7 frettish, -ize. [f. frediss- lengthened stem of OFr. fredir, freidir (Fr. froidir), f. freid (Fr. froid) cold.] trans. To chill, benumb. Only in pass.
1523. St. Papers Hen. VIII., IV. 52. Many of their horses loste and fretished. Ibid. (1535), IX. 147. I could get neither bread, drink, nor fire … till I was fretisshed.
1581. Mulcaster, Positions, xliii. (1887), 205. That foolish fellow, was fretished for cold, which followed the fond swallow, that flew out to timely, and to farre before her fellowes.
1607. Walkington, Opt. Glass, 57. Reuiuing those remote parts, which without his influence woulde otherwise be frettisht with a chilnes, and in a short time be mortified.
Hence Fretished ppl. a.; Fretishing, vbl. sb., a weakness in a horse’s feet, the result of a chill, the pinching of a shoe, etc.; Fretishing ppl. a., becoming ‘fretished.’
1581. Mulcaster, Positions, vi. (1887), 48. Daunsing … strengtheneth weake hippes, fainting legges, freatishing feete.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 292. Of the fretized, broken, and rotten lungs.
1610. Markham, Masterp., II. lxii. 322. If the horse be foundred through the straitnesse of a shoo, which in truth is not a founder, but a frettizing which is a degree lesse then foundring, then you shall for that sorrance, you shall first take off his shooe. Ibid. (1617), Caval., VIII. 8. Nowe if his Horse haue beene formerly foundred or frettised vpon his feete, then bee sure, [etc.].
1639. T. de Gray, Compl. Horseman, 38. We prick the two Toe-veines which do help Frettizing.
