Abrays

Part of speech: verb, noun

Definitions

1. To scrape or wear away something by friction; to criticize or rebuke sharply, often in a harsh manner; to remove a surface layer through abrasive action or discourse
2. To wear down the surface of an object through rubbing or erosion; to express disapproval or criticism with intensity; to diminish an external layer through physical or verbal abrasion
3. The action of eroding or rubbing something until it is thinner; the act of vocalizing discontent or reprimanding forcefully; the process of stripping away a top layer by means of friction or harsh commentary

Etymology: "Abrays" is simply the third-person singular present form of "abray," so its story is really the story of the verb it comes from. "Abray" is a back-formation, meaning it was created by reading an older form backwards: speakers took the past tense "abraid" (with its variant "abrayde") and treated it as if the base verb must be "abray." The older verb it descends from is "abraid," which is also the source of "abrade," the word that now covers the sense of wearing something down by friction. That sense in turn explains the figurative meanings of rubbing away a surface or scolding someone harshly.

Synonyms: scratches, scrapes, abrasions, scratches, scuffs

Antonyms: smooths, polishes, buffs, cleans, repairs