frail

B2 · Upper Intermediate

adj. easily broken or damaged because it is not strong.

adj. fragile or easily destroyed; lacking structural integrity or durability.

“The old wooden fence was too frail to survive the storm.”

“The archaeologists handled the frail parchment with extreme care, fearing that the slightest pressure would cause the ancient fibers to crumble.”

C2 · Proficiency Music Technical

v. to play a banjo by hitting the strings with the back of your fingernail.

v. to play a stringed instrument, typically a banjo, using a rhythmic downward striking motion with the back of the fingernail.

“He learned how to frail the banjo from his father in the mountains.”

“The musician demonstrated how to frail the strings to achieve that distinctive percussive rhythm characteristic of traditional Appalachian folk music.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Archaic

n. a type of basket made from dried plants, used for holding fruit.

n. a basket made of rushes, historically used for the transport of dried fruits such as figs or raisins.

“The merchant packed the dried figs into a large frail for the journey.”

“In the museum's colonial exhibit, a woven frail sat in the corner, illustrating how goods were once packaged for maritime trade.”