Where does refret come from?

It is traced to Middle English.

refret

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 0.00 in modern English

Syllables: re-fret
IPA

Scrabble Score

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Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To replace the frets on (a musical instrument).

Transitive verb

noun

A refrain.

Obsolete

Example Sentences

"Can you refret my guitar?"
"Our old English term refrette, ‘the foote of the dittie, a verse often interlaced, or the burden of a song,’ was probably from refrain; or from refresteler, to pipe over again. […] ‘Refrain, the refret, burthen, or downe of a ballad.’ All this discussion is rendered necessary, because Steevens unfortunately forgot to note from whence he made the following extract,"
"The refret or burden of the song in ver. 6, 8, 9, 10, “Yet have ye not returned to me,”[…] alludes to Deut. iv. 29(30),"

Etymology

From re- + fret.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Prefix: re
Root: refreit

Usage

Inflected Forms

refrets (present, singular) refretting (participle, present) refretted (participle, past) refretted (past) refrets (plural) refrette (alternative) refreite (alternative) refrayt (alternative) refraid (alternative) refrayde (alternative) refreyd (alternative)