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

Noun

freet (plural freets)

  1. 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.
  2. 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!
  3. A charm.

Derived terms


Luxembourgish

Verb

freet

  1. inflection of freeën:
    1. third-person singular present indicative
    2. second-person plural present indicative
    3. second-person plural imperative

Verb

freet

  1. third-person singular present indicative of froen

Middle English

Verb

freet

  1. 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)
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