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Ruffle

//ˈɹʌfəl// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Any gathered or curled strip of fabric added as trim or decoration.

    "She loved the dress with the lace ruffle at the hem."

  2. 2
    a noisy fight wordnet
  3. 3
    Disturbance; agitation; commotion.

    "to put the mind in a ruffle"

  4. 4
    a high tight collar wordnet
  5. 5
    A low, vibrating beat of a drum, quieter than a roll; a ruff.
Show 2 more definitions
  1. 6
    a strip of pleated material used as a decoration or a trim wordnet
  2. 7
    The connected series of large egg capsules, or oothecae, of several species of American marine gastropods of the genus Fulgur.
Verb
  1. 1
    To make a ruffle in; to curl or flute, as an edge of fabric. transitive

    "Ruffle the end of the cuff."

  2. 2
    pleat or gather into a ruffle wordnet
  3. 3
    To disturb; especially, to cause to flutter. transitive

    "The wind ruffled the papers."

  4. 4
    disturb the smoothness of wordnet
  5. 5
    To grow rough, boisterous, or turbulent. intransitive

    "The night comes on, and the bleak winds / Do sorely ruffle."

Show 13 more definitions
  1. 6
    erect or fluff up wordnet
  2. 7
    To become disordered; to play loosely; to flutter. intransitive

    "On his right shoulder his thick mane ', / Ruffles at speed, and dances in the wind."

  3. 8
    mix so as to make a random order or arrangement wordnet
  4. 9
    To be rough; to jar; to be in contention; hence, to put on airs; to swagger. intransitive

    "They would ruffle with jurors."

  5. 10
    twitch or flutter wordnet
  6. 11
    To make into a ruff; to draw or contract into puckers, plaits, or folds; to wrinkle.
  7. 12
    trouble or vex wordnet
  8. 13
    To erect in a ruff, as feathers.

    "[T]he barge with oar and sail / Moved from the brink, like some full-breasted swan / That, fluting a wild carol ere her death, / Ruffles her pure cold plume, and takes the flood / With swarthy webs."

  9. 14
    discompose wordnet
  10. 15
    To beat with the ruff or ruffle, as a drum.
  11. 16
    to walk with a lofty proud gait, often in an attempt to impress others wordnet
  12. 17
    To throw together in a disorderly manner.

    "Within a thicket I reposed; when round / I ruffled up fall'n leaves in heap; and found, / Let fall from heaven, a sleep interminate."

  13. 18
    stir up (water) so as to form ripples wordnet

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English ruffelen, perhaps from Old Norse hrufla (“to graze, scratch”) or Middle Low German ruffelen (“to wrinkle, curl”). Further origin unknown. Related to Middle Dutch ruyffelen, German Low German ruffeln. See English ruff.

Etymology 2

From Middle English ruffelen, perhaps from Old Norse hrufla (“to graze, scratch”) or Middle Low German ruffelen (“to wrinkle, curl”). Further origin unknown. Related to Middle Dutch ruyffelen, German Low German ruffeln. See English ruff.

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