affray

/ə'frei/

Thân thiện

A man was arrested for causing an affray in the public square.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A noisy fight or quarrel in a public place: An "affray" specifically refers to a public disturbance involving fighting, brawling, or tumultuous behavior that causes alarm or fear in others. It is a legal term often used to describe a breach of the peace.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The police were called to break up an affray outside the nightclub.
  • He was charged with causing an affray after the football match.
  • The argument escalated into a violent affray on the street.

Advanced Usage

• Legal Context: In legal terminology, "affray" is a criminal offense involving fighting in a public place that disturbs the peace and terrifies others. It is distinct from a private fight.
  • The defendant was found guilty of affray and sentenced to community service.

Variants and Related Words

• Affrayer (n): (Archaic) A person who takes part in an affray; a brawler.
• Brawl (n/v): A rough or noisy fight or quarrel. This is a close synonym but is less formal and not exclusively a legal term.

Synonyms

• Brawl: A noisy, rough, uncontrolled fight.
• Fracas: A noisy disturbance or quarrel.
• Melee: A confused, noisy, and often violent fight among a crowd of people.
• Altercation: A noisy argument or disagreement, especially in public.

Related Phrases

• To cause an affray: The standard legal phrase for being responsible for starting or participating in a public fight.
  • The group of youths were arrested for causing an affray.

Related Idioms

• No idiom directly uses the word "affray." The word itself is quite specific and formal, typically used in legal or descriptive contexts rather than in common idiomatic expressions.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a noisy fight
2. noisy quarrel

Từ đồng nghĩa

• disturbance
• fray
• ruffle
• altercation
• fracas