Ruffle

Definition of Ruffle

Ruf´fle

v. t.

To make into a ruff; to draw or contract into puckers, plaits, or folds; to wrinkle.

[imp. & p. p. Ruffled ; p. pr. & vb. n. Ruffling .]

To furnish with ruffles; as, to ruffle a shirt.

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.

To erect in a ruff, as feathers.

[the swan] ruffles her pure cold plume.

- Tennyson.

(Mil.) To beat with the ruff or ruffle, as a drum.

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.

To throw into disorder or confusion.

Where best
He might the ruffled foe infest.

- Hudibras.

To throw together in a disorderly manner.

I ruffled up falen leaves in heap.

- Chapman

To ruffle the feathers of
to exite the resentment of; to irritate.

v. i.

To grow rough, boisterous, or turbulent.

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

- Shak.

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.

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.

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.

A state of being ruffled or disturbed; disturbance; agitation; commotion; as, to put the mind in a ruffle.

(Mil.) A low, vibrating beat of a drum, not so loud as a roll; - called also ruff.

(Zool.) The connected series of large egg capsules, or oöthecæ, of any one of several species of American marine gastropods of the genus Fulgur. See Oötheca.

Ruffle of a boot
the top turned down, and scalloped or plaited. - Halliwell.

Related Words

abrade, addle, addle the wits, ado, affect, aggravate, agitate, agitation, annoy, arouse, badger, bait, ball up, barrage, be at, beading, beat, beat a ruffle, beat a tattoo, beat the drum, beat time, beat up, beating, becloud, bedazzle, bedevil, befuddle, befuddlement, beset, bewilder, bewilderment, binding, bludgeon, bluster, bordering, bordure, bother, botheration, bristle, brouhaha, browbeat, brown off, bug, bulldoze, bully, bullyrag, burn up, bustle, chafe, chaos, chivy, churn, churn up, cloud, clutter, commotion, confuse, confusion, convulse, corrugate, count, count the beats, cow, crease, creasing, crimp, crinkle, crisp, crumple, daze, dazzle, derange, devil, disarray, discombobulate, discombobulation, discomfit, discomfiture, discompose, discomposure, disconcert, disconcertion, dishevel, dislocate, disorganization, disorganize, disorient, disorientation, disquiet, distemper, disturbance, dog, dog-ear, double, double over, doubling, dragoon, drum, drum music, drumbeat, drumfire, drumming, duplicature, ebullience, ebullition, eddy, edging, effervescence, electrify, embarrass, embarrassment, embitter, embroilment, enfold, entangle, erode, exasperate, excite, exercise, fan, fash, feery-fary, ferment, fermentation, fimbria, fimbriation, flare, flection, flexure, flounce, flummox, flurry, fluster, flute, flutter, fog, fold, fold over, frenzy, fret, frill, frilling, fringe, fuddle, fuddlement, fume, furbelow, fuss, gall, galloon, gather, gathering, get, go pitapat, graze, gripe, harass, harry, haze, heckle, hector, hem, hex, hound, huff, hurly-burly, hurry, hurry-scurry, incense, inflame, infold, interfold, intimidate, irk, irritate, jar, jolt, jumble, keep time, lap over, lapel, lappet, list, litter, maze, mess, mess up, miff, misarrange, mist, mix up, moider, molest, motif, muddle, muddlement, muss, muss up, nag, needle, nettle, nudzh, paddle, palpitate, palpitation, paradiddle, patter, peeve, pell-mell, peplum, perplex, perplexity, persecute, perturb, perturbate, perturbation, pester, pick on, pique, pitapat, pitter-patter, plague, plait, plat, play drum, pleat, plica, plicate, plication, plicature, pluck the beard, ply, pother, pound, pounding, provoke, psych out, pucker, pulsate, pulsation, put out, quill, raise hell, rankle, rat-a-tat, rat-tat, rat-tat-tat, rataplan, rattattoo, rattle, ride, rile, ripple, rock, roil, roll, roughen, rub, rub-a-dub, ruche, ruching, ruff, scatter, selvage, set on edge, set up, shake, shake up, shock, shuffle, skirting, sound a tattoo, spatter, splatter, splutter, spook, sputter, staccato, stagger, stew, stir, stir the blood, stir up, strong-arm, sweat, swirl, swirling, swivet, tangle, tap, tat-tat, tattoo, tease, throb, throbbing, throw, throw into confusion, thrum, thump, thumping, tizzy, to-do, tom-tom, torment, tousle, trouble, try the patience, tuck, tumult, turbulence, turmoil, turn over, tweak the nose, twill, unnerve, unsettle, unsettlement, unstring, uproar, upset, valance, vex, voodoo, vortex, wavelet, wear, welt, whip, whip up, whirl, whisk, wind, winnow, work up, worry, wrinkle, yeastiness

Browse

Rudmasday
Rudolphine
Rue
Rue anemone
Rueful
Ruell bone
Ruelle
Rufescent
Ruff
Ruffed
Ruffed grouse
ruffed lemur
ruffed maucaco
Ruffian
Ruffianage
Ruffianish
Ruffianlike
Ruffianly
Ruffianous
Ruffin
-Ruffle-
Ruffle of a boot
Ruffleless
Rufflement
Ruffler
Rufigallic
Rufiopin
Rufol
Rufous
Ruft
Rufterhood
Rug
Rug gown
Rug-gowned
Rug-headed
Ruga
Rugate
Rugged
Rugging
Ruggy
Rugin

# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z