vry, verb

/freɪ/
Forms:
fraai, frayShow more Formerly also fraai, fray, frey, vrij.
Origin:
Afrikaans.
colloquial
1. intransitive. To engage in erotic caressing. Also figurative.
1887 A. Trollope in J. Mackinnon S. Afr. Traits 118They are very great at making love or ‘freying,’ as they call it.
1970 S. Smuts Informant, Cape Town, Western CapeThe two lovers sat and vryed in the corner.
1975 Sunday Times 20 Apr. 16The truth..is that people who play (or vry?) together, stay together.
1980 Daily Dispatch 27 Feb. 13The question of the day — Who was busy vry-ing with whom? Nobody would have initially thought that Mr Chris R— was vry-ing with the NRP. On the contrary, he appeared to be fascinated by the courship between the NRP and the PFP, and wondered if a wedding was in the offing.
1983 Cape Times 9 Dec. 16Who else can get away with describing..‘vrying’ with Sannie van der Spuy on the grass of the Bloemfontein public swimming bath?
1985 P. Slabolepszy Sat. Night at Palace 40I was gripping this chick...Her folks were out and we were fraying much better.
2. transitive. To court or woo (someone).
1899 G.H. Russell Under Sjambok 77I think the Landrost was fraaing (courting) the young woman we saw tonight, but she did not seem very pleased about it.
1958 A. Jackson Trader on Veld 33He had come to ‘vry’ (court) the young ‘nooi’ (daughter of the house).
1983 G. Silber in Sunday Times 28 Aug. (Mag. Sect.) 19Horse is reclining on a garden bench..vrying his blonde peach and watching the talent show with his left eye.
1984 S. Gray Three Plays 163I wonder who’s vrying her now. I wonder who’s learning her how.
To engage in erotic caressing. Also figurative.
To court or woo (someone).
Derivatives:
Hence vry  noun, also vrytjie  [Afrikaans, see -ie], vrying  verbal noun, vryery.
1925 L.D. Flemming Crop of Chaff 117You put on a suit and a hat, and there you were.., all ready for the fray — or vrij.
1924 G. Baumann in Baumann & Bright Lost Republic (1940) 115Saturday evening was the time the young farmer did his courting — ‘vrying’.
1975 S. Roberts Outside Life’s Feast 90It’s lekker to live a bit; to have a few drinks and a little vrytjie.
1990 Personality 13 Aug. 23He became upset and said it didn’t look as if I was interested in vrying.
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18871990

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vry, n.
vrying
vrytjie

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colloquial
figurative or allusive
vrou, nounn.vryburger, nounn.
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