Full of worry, danger, or negative feelings; loaded with difficult emotions or risky situations.
From Middle Dutch 'vracht' (cargo or freight), which entered English in the 15th century meaning 'laden with cargo.' The meaning evolved from 'heavily loaded' to 'laden with emotional weight' or 'full of problems,' making it metaphorically extend from physical to psychological heaviness.
The phrase 'fraught with danger' is so common that most people forget 'fraught' literally came from shipping cargo—it's a perfect example of how words about physical burdens migrate to emotional burdens because our brains use weight and heaviness as metaphors for worry and stress.
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