fraisten

Middle English

Etymology

See fraist.

Verb

fraisten (third-person singular simple present fraistes, first-/third-person singular past indicative and past participle fraisted)

1. To test, put to the test.
2. To try, attempt; to find out by trying.
   • Early 14th c. Anonymous, "Ywain and Gawain", in MS Cotton Galba E ix. Transcribed and reprinted in 1995, Braswell, Mary Flowers (ed.), Sir Perceval of Galles and Ywain and Gawain, Medieval Institute Publications, →ISBN, p. 167, l. 3253–3254.

     His felow fraisted with al his mayn / To raise him smertly up ogayn;

     His friend tried with all his might to raise him quickly up again

3. To seek out; ask, inquire
   • 15th c., “Processus Noe cum filiis [Noah and the Ark]”, in Wakefield Mystery Plays; Re-edited in George England, Alfred W. Pollard, editors, The Towneley Plays (Early English Text Society Extra Series; LXXI), London: […] Oxford University Press, 1897, →OCLC, page 28, lines 182–185:

     lord, homward will I hast / as fast as that I may; / My [wife] will I frast / what she will say, / And I am agast / that we get som fray / Betwixt vs both

     Lord, I will go home as fast as I can; I will ask my wife what she has to say, and I would be shocked if some quarrel wouldn't arise between us.