A person who causes a noisy fight or brawl in a public place.
From Old French 'affrayer' meaning 'to frighten or disturb,' derived from 'a-' (to) + 'frayer' (to break or shatter). The legal term evolved to describe someone involved in violent public disturbances in English law.
In medieval England, 'affrayers' were so common they had their own legal category—you could be arrested just for starting a public fight, even before anyone got seriously hurt. This word shows how lawyers have always tried to stop trouble before it gets worse.
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