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Webster 1913 Edition

Ruffle

Ruf′fle

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Ruffled
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Ruffling
.]
[From
Ruff
a plaited collar, a drum beat, a tumult: cf. OD.
ruyffelen
to wrinkle.]
1.
To make into a ruff; to draw or contract into puckers, plaits, or folds; to wrinkle.
2.
To furnish with ruffles;
as, to
ruffle
a shirt
.
3.
To oughen or disturb the surface of; to make uneven by agitation or commotion.
The fantastic revelries . . . that so often
ruffled
the placid bosom of the Nile.
I. Taylor.
She smoothed the
ruffled
seas.
Dryden.
4.
To erect in a ruff, as feathers.
[the swan]
ruffles
her pure cold plume.
Tennyson.
5.
(Mil.)
To beat with the ruff or ruffle, as a drum.
6.
To discompose; to agitate; to disturb.
These
ruffle
the tranquillity of the mind.
Sir W. Hamilton.
But, ever after, the small violence done
Rankled in him and
ruffled
all his heart.
Tennyson.
7.
To throw into disorder or confusion.
Where best
He might the
ruffled
foe infest.
Hudibras.
8.
To throw together in a disorderly manner.
[R.]
I
ruffled
up falen leaves in heap.
Chapman
To ruffle the feathers of
,
to exite the resentment of; to irritate.

Ruf′fle

,
Verb.
I.
[Perhaps of different origin from
ruffle
to wrinkle; cf. OD.
roffeln
,
roffen
, to pander, LG.
raffein
, Dan.
ruffer
a pimp. Cf.
Rufflan
.]
1.
To grow rough, boisterous, or turbulent.
[R.]
The night comes on, and the bleak winds
Do sorely
ruffle
.
Shakespeare
2.
To become disordered; to play loosely; to flutter.
On his right shoulder his thick mane reclined,
Ruffles
at speed, and dances in the wind.
Dryden.
3.
To be rough; to jar; to be in contention; hence, to put on airs; to swagger.
They would
ruffle
with jurors.
Bacon.
Gallants who
ruffled
in silk and embroidery.
Sir W. Scott.

Ruf′fle

,
Noun.
[See
Ruffle
,
Verb.
T.
&
I.
]
1.
That which is ruffled; specifically, a strip of lace, cambric, or other fine cloth, plaited or gathered on one edge or in the middle, and used as a trimming; a frill.
2.
A state of being ruffled or disturbed; disturbance; agitation; commotion;
as, to put the mind in a
ruffle
.
3.
(Mil.)
A low, vibrating beat of a drum, not so loud as a roll; – called also
ruff
.
H. L. Scott.
4.
(Zool.)
The connected series of large egg capsules, or oothecae, of any one of several species of American marine gastropods of the genus
Fulgur
. See
Ootheca
.
Ruffle of a boot
,
the top turned down, and scalloped or plaited.
Halliwell.

Webster 1828 Edition

Ruffle

RUF'FLE

, v.t.
1.
Properly, to wrinkle; to draw or contract into wrinkles, open plaits or folds.
2.
To disorder by disturbing a smooth surface; to make uneven by agitation; as, to ruffle the sea or a lake.
She smooth'd the ruffl'd seas.
3.
To discompose by disturbing a calm state of; to agitate; to disturb; as, to ruffle the mind; to ruffle the passions or the temper. It expresses less than fret and vex.
4.
To throw into disorder or confusion.
- Where best he might the ruffl'd foe invest.
5.
To throw together in a disorderly manner.
I ruffl'd up fall'n leaves in heap. [Unusual.]
6.
To furnish with ruffles; as, to ruffle a shirt.

RUF'FLE

, v.i.
1.
To grow rough or turbulent; as, the winds ruffle.
2.
To play loosely; to flutter.
On his right shoulder his thick mane reclin'd, ruffles at speed and dances in the wind.
3.
To be rough; to jar; to be contention.
They would ruffle with jurors. Obs.

RUF'FLE

,
Noun.
1.
A strip of plaited cambric or other fine cloth attached to some border of a garment, as to the wristband or bosom. That at the bosom is sometimes called by the English, a frill.
2.
Disturbance; agitation; commotion; as, to put the mind or temper in a ruffle.

RUF'FLE

,

Definition 2024

ruffle

ruffle

See also: rüffle

English

Noun

ruffle ‎(plural ruffles)

  1. Any gathered or curled strip of fabric added as trim or decoration.
    She loved the dress with the lace ruffle at the hem.
    • 1977, Agatha Christie, An Autobiography, Part II, chapter4:
      Mind you, clothes were clothes in those days. […]  Frills, ruffles, flounces, lace, complicated seams and gores: not only did they sweep the ground and have to be held up in one hand elegantly as you walked along, but they had little capes or coats or feather boas.
  2. Disturbance; agitation; commotion.
    to put the mind in a ruffle
  3. (military) A low, vibrating beat of a drum, quieter than a roll; a ruff.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of H. L. Scott to this entry?)
  4. (zoology) The connected series of large egg capsules, or oothecae, of several species of American marine gastropods of the genus Fulgur.

Synonyms

Translations

Verb

ruffle ‎(third-person singular simple present ruffles, present participle ruffling, simple past and past participle ruffled)

  1. (transitive) To make a ruffle in; to curl or flute, as an edge of fabric.
    Ruffle the end of the cuff.
  2. (transitive) To disturb; especially, to cause to flutter.
    The wind ruffled the papers.
    Her sudden volley of insults ruffled his composure.
    • I. Taylor
      the fantastic revelries […] that so often ruffled the placid bosom of the Nile
    • Sir W. Hamilton
      These ruffle the tranquillity of the mind.
    • Dryden
      She smoothed the ruffled seas.
    • Tennyson
      But, ever after, the small violence done / Rankled in him and ruffled all his heart.
  3. (intransitive) To grow rough, boisterous, or turbulent.
    • Shakespeare
      The night comes on, and the bleak winds / Do sorely ruffle.
  4. (intransitive) To become disordered; to play loosely; to flutter.
    • Dryden
      On his right shoulder his thick mane reclined, / Ruffles at speed, and dances in the wind.
  5. (intransitive) To be rough; to jar; to be in contention; hence, to put on airs; to swagger.
    • Francis Bacon
      They would ruffle with jurors.
    • Sir Walter Scott
      gallants who ruffled in silk and embroidery
  6. To make into a ruff; to draw or contract into puckers, plaits, or folds; to wrinkle.
  7. To erect in a ruff, as feathers.
    • Tennyson
      [The swan] ruffles her pure cold plume.
  8. (military) To beat with the ruff or ruffle, as a drum.
  9. To throw together in a disorderly manner.
    • Chapman
      I ruffled up fallen leaves in heap.

Translations

Derived terms

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): 'ɹʌfəl
  • Rhymes: -ʌfəl

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