freet
English
Etymology
From Middle English frete (“superstition”), from Old Norse frétt (“news, intelligence, inquiry, inquiry about the future”), from Proto-Germanic *frihtiz, related to Icelandic frétt (“news”), Icelandic frétta (“to review”), Danish and Norwegian fritte (“to question, interrogate”), English frain (“to question”). More at frain.
Alternative forms
- fret
- freit (Scotland)
Noun
freet (plural freets)
- A superstitious notion or belief with respect to any action or event as a good or a bad omen; a superstition.
- 1824, John Mactaggart, The Scottish Gallovidian Encyclopedia, page 263:
- If the old “freet” be true “ that those who fall when at the handspake aneath the corpse, will soon be the corpse themsell," there would soon be a good few corspes; for at these "druken" concerns, the bearers are falling some of them every now and then.
-
- A superstitious rite, observance, wont, or practise.
- 1903, Samual Ferguson, The Fairy Well of Lagnanay:
- Oh, sister Ellen, sister sweet, Come with me to the hill I pray, And I will prove that blessed freet!
-
- A charm.
Derived terms
- freety
Luxembourgish
Verb
freet
- inflection of freeën:
- third-person singular present indicative
- second-person plural present indicative
- second-person plural imperative
Verb
freet
- third-person singular present indicative of froen
Middle English
Verb
freet
- alternative simple past of frēten.
- 1390, William Langland, Piers Ploughman:
- Adam freet of that fruit, And forsook The love of our Lord.
- (please add an English translation of this quote)
-