/fɹiːt/
OriginFrom Middle English frete (“superstition”), from Old Norse frétt (“news, intelligence, inquiry, inquiry about the future”), from Proto-Germanic *frihtiz (“news, report, message, question, prophecy”), related to Icelandic frétt (“news”), Icelandic frétta (“to review”), Danish and Norwegian fritte (“to question, interrogate”), English frain (“to question”). More at frain.
- A superstitious notion or belief with respect to any action or event as a good or a bad omen; a superstition.
“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”
- A superstitious rite, observance, wont, or practice.
“Oh, sister Ellen, sister sweet, Come with me to the hill I pray, And I will prove that blessed freet!”
- A charm.
Formsfreets(plural) · fret(alternative) · freit(alternative, Scotland) · Freets(plural)