Ruffle Definition

rŭfəl
ruffled, ruffles, ruffling
noun
ruffles
A strip of cloth, lace, etc., gathered in pleats and puckers and used for trimming.
Webster's New World
Something like this, as a bird's ruff.
Webster's New World
A disturbance.
Webster's New World
A beating or rustling sound.
The ruffle of drums in the distance; the ruffle of a skirt on the floor.
American Heritage
A low, continuous beating of a drum, not so loud as a roll.
Webster's New World
verb
ruffled, ruffles, ruffling
To beat a ruffle on (a drum).
American Heritage
To behave arrogantly or roughly; swagger.
American Heritage
To take away the smoothness of; wrinkle; ripple.
Wind ruffling the water.
Webster's New World
To gather into ruffles.
Webster's New World
To put ruffles on as trimming.
Webster's New World
Antonyms:
idiom
ruffle feathers
  • to disturb, irritate, or annoy (someone)
Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Ruffle

Noun

Singular:
ruffle
Plural:
ruffles

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Ruffle

  • ruffle feathers

Origin of Ruffle

  • From Middle English ruffelen to roughen

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Middle English ruffelen to quarrel

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Probably from frequentative of ruff

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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