Chafe (chāf), v. t.
[imp. & p. p. Chafed (chāft);
p pr. & vb. n. Chafing.] [OE.
chaufen to warm, OF. chaufer, F. chauffer,
fr. L. calefacere, calfacere, to make warm;
calere to be warm + facere to make. See
Caldron.] 1. To excite heat in by
friction; to rub in order to stimulate and make warm.
To rub her temples, and to chafe her
skin.
Spenser.
2. To excite passion or anger in; to
fret; to irritate.
Her intercession chafed him.
Shak.
3. To fret and wear by rubbing; as, to
chafe a cable.
Two slips of parchment which she sewed round it to
prevent its being chafed.
Sir W. Scott.
Syn. -- To rub; fret; gall; vex; excite; inflame.
Chafe, v. i. To rub; to come
together so as to wear by rubbing; to wear by friction.
Made its great boughs chafe together.
Longfellow.
The troubled Tiber chafing with her
shores.
Shak.
2. To be worn by rubbing; as, a cable
chafes.
3. To have a feeling of vexation; to be
vexed; to fret; to be irritated. Spenser.
He will chafe at the doctor's marrying my
daughter.
Shak.
Chafe, n. 1.
Heat excited by friction.
2. Injury or wear caused by
friction.
3. Vexation; irritation of mind;
rage.
The cardinal in a chafe sent for him to
Whitehall.
Camden.
