Fry

Fry, n. [OE. fri, fry, seed, descendants, cf. OF. froye spawning, spawn of. fishes, little fishes, fr. L. fricare tosub (see Friction), but cf. also Icel. fræ, frjō, seed, Sw. & Dan. frö, Goth. fraiw seed, descendants.]

1. (Zoöl.) The young of any fish.

2. A swarm or crowd, especially of little fishes; young or small things in general.

The fry of children young.
Spenser.

To sever . . . the good fish from the other fry.
Milton.

We have burned two frigates, and a hundred and twenty small fry.
Walpole.

Fry (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fried (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Frying.] [OE. frien, F. frire, fr. L. frigere to roast, parch, fry, cf. Gr. ?, Skr. bhrajj. Cf. Fritter.] To cook in a pan or on a griddle (esp. with the use of fat, butter, or olive oil) by heating over a fire; to cook in boiling lard or fat; as, to fry fish; to fry doughnuts.

Fry, v. i. 1. To undergo the process of frying; to be subject to the action of heat in a frying pan, or on a griddle, or in a kettle of hot fat.

2. To simmer; to boil. [Obs.]

With crackling flames a caldron fries.
Dryden

The frothy billows fry.
Spenser.

3. To undergo or cause a disturbing action accompanied with a sensation of heat.

To keep the oil from frying in the stomach.
Bacon.

4. To be agitated; to be greatly moved. [Obs.]

What kindling motions in their breasts do fry.
Fairfax.

Fry, n. 1. A dish of anything fried.

2. A state of excitement; as, to be in a fry. [Colloq.]