3 N‑VAR Friendship is a relationship between two countries in which they help and support each other. □ [+ with/between ] …as president of a foundation that promotes friendship between Italy and America.
frieze /friː z/ (friezes ) N‑COUNT A frieze is a decoration high up on the walls of a room or just under the roof of a building. It consists of a long panel of carving or a long strip of paper with a picture or pattern on it.
frig|ate /fr I gət/ (frigates ) N‑COUNT A frigate is a fairly small ship owned by the navy that can move at fast speeds. Frigates are often used to protect other ships.
frig|ging /fr I g I ŋ/ ADJ [ADJ n] Frigging is used by some people to emphasize what they are saying, especially when they are angry or annoyed about something. [INFORMAL , RUDE , EMPHASIS ]
fright /fra I t/ (frights )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Fright is a sudden feeling of fear, especially the fear that you feel when something unpleasant surprises you. □ The steam pipes rattled suddenly, and Franklin uttered a shriek and jumped with fright. □ The birds smashed into the top of their cages in fright. □ To hide my fright I asked a question.
2 N‑COUNT [usu sing] A fright is an experience which makes you suddenly afraid. □ The snake picked up its head and stuck out its tongue which gave everyone a fright. □ The last time you had a real fright, you nearly crashed the car.
3 PHRASE If a person or animal takes fright at something, they are suddenly frightened by it, and want to run away or to stop doing what they are doing. □ An untrained horse had taken fright at the sound of gunfire. □ When costs soared, the studio took fright and recalled the company from Rome.
fright|en /fra I t ə n/ (frightens , frightening , frightened )
1 VERB If something or someone frightens you, they cause you to suddenly feel afraid, anxious, or nervous. □ [V n] He knew that Soli was trying to frighten him, so he smiled to hide his fear. □ [be V -ed] Most children are frightened by the sight of blood.
2 PHRASE If something frightens the life out of you, frightens the wits out of you, or frightens you out of your wits , it causes you to feel suddenly afraid or gives you a very unpleasant shock. [EMPHASIS ] □ Fairground rides are intended to frighten the life out of you.
▸ frighten away or frighten off
1 PHRASAL VERB If you frighten away a person or animal or frighten them off , you make them afraid so that they run away or stay some distance away from you. □ [V P n] The fishermen said the company's seismic survey was frightening away fish. □ [V n P ] He fired into the air, hoping that the noise would frighten them off.
2 PHRASAL VERB To frighten someone away or frighten them off means to make them nervous so that they decide not to become involved with a particular person or activity. □ [V n P ] Building society repossessions have frightened buyers off. □ [V P n] The government is convinced that the bombers want to frighten away foreign investors.
▸ frighten off → see frighten away
fright|ened /fra I t ə nd/ ADJ [ADJ to-inf] If you are frightened , you are anxious or afraid, often because of something that has just happened or that you think may happen. □ [+ of ] She was frightened of flying. □ Miriam was too frightened to tell her family what had happened.
fright|en|ing /fra I tən I ŋ/ ADJ If something is frightening , it makes you feel afraid, anxious, or nervous. □ It was a very frightening experience and they were very courageous. □ The number of youngsters involved in crime is frightening. ● fright|en|ing|ly ADV [usu ADV adj] □ The country is frighteningly close to possessing nuclear weapons.
fright|ful /fra I tfʊl/
1 ADJ Frightful means very bad or unpleasant. [OLD-FASHIONED ] □ My father was unable to talk about the war, it was so frightful.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Frightful is used to emphasize the extent or degree of something, usually something bad. [INFORMAL , OLD-FASHIONED , EMPHASIS ] □ He got himself into a frightful muddle.
frig|id /fr I dʒ I d/
1 ADJ Frigid means extremely cold. [FORMAL ] □ A snowstorm hit the West today, bringing with it frigid temperatures.
2 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If a woman is frigid , she finds it difficult to become sexually aroused. You can often use frigid to show disapproval. □ My husband says I am frigid. ● fri|gid|ity /fr I dʒ I d I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT □ …an inability to experience orgasm (often called frigidity).
frill /fr I l/ (frills )
1 N‑COUNT A frill is a long narrow strip of cloth or paper with many folds in it, which is attached to something as a decoration. □ …net curtains with frills.
2 N‑COUNT [usu pl] If you describe something as having no frills , you mean that it has no extra features, but is acceptable or good if you want something simple. [APPROVAL ] □ This booklet restricts itself to facts without frills.
frilled /fr I ld/ ADJ [ADJ n] A frilled item of clothing is decorated with a frill or frills.
frilly /fr I li/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Frilly items of clothing or fabric have a lot of frills on them. □ …maids in frilly aprons.
fringe /fr I ndʒ/ (fringes )
1 N‑COUNT A fringe is hair which is cut so that it hangs over your forehead. [BRIT ] in AM, use bangs 2 N‑COUNT A fringe is a decoration attached to clothes, or other objects such as curtains, consisting of a row of hanging strips or threads. □ The jacket had leather fringes.