Definition of sea fret

The term "sea fret" is a British meteorological term for a type of coastal fog that forms over the sea and rolls inland. The term "fret" is an old English word that originally meant a disturbance or a commotion in the water. It is also sometimes spelled as "fraught" or "frow" in older texts. The word "sea fret" combines "sea" and "fret" to describe the way the fog creeps inland from the sea, like a disturbance or a commotion. The term is still widely used in the United Kingdom, especially in coastal areas, whereas in other English-speaking countries, coastal fog is commonly referred to as "sea mist" or "sea breeze mist." The origin of the term "fret" can be traced back to the Old English word "fretan," which meant "to distress, torment, or agitate." This root word can also be found in modern English words like "fright," "freten," and "friction." However, in the context of coastal fog, the word "fret" has a more specific and poetic connotation, as it evokes images of the sea itself, displaying a disturbance or a commotion. In summary, the origin of the term "sea fret" can be traced back to the Old English word "fretan," which resulted in the term "fret" meaning a disturbance or a commotion in the water, as well as in coastal fog. The term "sea fret" is still used to describe coastal fog that forms over the sea and rolls inland in the United Kingdom, especially in coastal areas.