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a public fight; a noisy quarrel; brawl.
Law. the fighting of two or more persons in a public place.
Archaic. to frighten.
Historical Examples

I remember that the valiant Marino Contarino died in this affray; and, with immortal example, the four brothers Cornaro; alas!
Isabella Orsini Francesco Domenico Guerrazzi

This was by no means a terrifying conclusion to men inured to affray.
Laramie Holds the Range Frank H. Spearman

Nothing was done, and probably there would not have been any thing done, had I been killed in the affray.
My Bondage and My Freedom Frederick Douglass

A white man and a colored woman were indicted for an affray.
The Journal of Negro History, Volume 4, 1919 Various

I have never been at one; and the name suggests nothing but an affray with bayonets.
Cashel Byron’s Profession George Bernard Shaw

The affray had burst over the slumbering town like a thunderclap.
The Fortune of the Rougons Emile Zola

Neither Wingrove nor I had an opportunity of taking part in the affray.
The Wild Huntress Mayne Reid

That we had some hurt of such an affray goes without saying.
The House Under the Sea Sir Max Pemberton

Then some of them, collecting again, held a hurried council, and sent off messengers with the news of this affray.
Wood Magic Richard Jefferies

And then there was their own resentment as to that affray at Scumberg’s.
Is He Popenjoy? Anthony Trollope

noun
(law) a fight, noisy quarrel, or disturbance between two or more persons in a public place
verb
(transitive) (archaic) to frighten
n.

c.1300, “state of alarm produced by a sudden disturbance,” from Old French effrei, esfrei “disturbance, fright,” from esfreer (v.) “to worry, concern, trouble, disturb,” from Vulgar Latin *exfridare, literally “to take out of peace,” from Latin ex- “out of” (see ex-) + Frankish *frithu “peace,” from Proto-Germanic *frithuz “peace, consideration, forbearance” (cf. Old Saxon frithu, Old English friðu, Old High German fridu “peace, truce”), from PIE root *pri- “to be friendly, love” (see free (adj.)). Meaning “breach of the peace, riotous fight in public” is from late 15c. Related verb afrey (early 14c.) survives almost exclusively in its past participle, afraid (q.v.).