Chafe | Webster's Dictionary (1865)

Chāfe, v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. [imp. & p. p. CHAFED; p. pr. & vb. n. CHAFING.] [O. Eng. chaufe, Fr. chauffer, Pr. calfar (compare échauffer, escalfar), from Lat. calefacere, or, contracted, calfacere, to make warm, of calidus, caldus, hot, and facere, to make.]

Sense 1. To excite physical heat or irritation in by means of friction; to stimulate.

To rub her temples, and to chafe her skin. Spenser.

Sense 2. To excite heat in the mind of; to excite passion in; to fret; to irritate.

Her intercession chafed him. Shak.

Sense 3. To fret and wear by rubbing; as, to chafe a cable, or rigging.

Two slips of parchment . . . she sewed round it to prevent its being chafed. W. Scott.

Synonyms—To rub; fret; gall; vex; provoke; inflame.

Chāfe, v. i.

verbintransitive

v. i. 1. To be excited or heated; to rage; to fret; to be in violent action.

Take no care Who chafes, who frets. Shak.

Sense 2. To fret or wear by rubbing.

The troubled Tiber chafing with his shores. Shak.

Sense 3. To be fretted and worn by rubbing; as, a cable chafes.

Chāfe, n.

noun

n. 1. Heat or irritation excited by friction. 2. Violent agitation of the mind or passions. “In a sultry chafe.” Milton.