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.]