Chafe (chāf), v. t. [imp. & p. p.Chafed (chāft); p pr. & vb. n.Chafing.] [OE. chaufen to warm, OF. chaufer, F. chauffer, fr. L. calefacere, calfacere, to make warm; calere to be warm + facere to make. See Caldron.] 1. To excite heat in by friction; to rub in order to stimulate and make warm.
To rub her temples, and to chafe her skin.
Spenser.
2. To excite passion or anger in; to fret; to irritate.
Her intercession chafed him.
Shak.
3. To fret and wear by rubbing; as, to chafe a cable.
Two slips of parchment which she sewed round it to prevent its being chafed.
Sir W. Scott.
Syn. — To rub; fret; gall; vex; excite; inflame.