ruffle Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun a strip of pleated material used as a decoration or a trim
flounce; frill; furbelow.
noun a high tight collar
choker; neck ruff; ruff.
noun a noisy fight
affray; disturbance; fray.
verb stir up (water) so as to form ripples
ripple; riffle; undulate; cockle.
verb trouble or vex
- ruffle somebody's composure
verb to walk with a lofty proud gait, often in an attempt to impress others
sashay; tittup; strut; prance; swagger; cock.
- He struts around like a rooster in a hen house
verb discompose
- This play is going to ruffle some people
- She has a way of ruffling feathers among her colleagues
verb twitch or flutter
flick; riffle.
- the paper flicked
verb mix so as to make a random order or arrangement
shuffle; mix.
- shuffle the cards
verb erect or fluff up
fluff.
- the bird ruffled its feathers
verb disturb the smoothness of
mess up; ruffle up; rumple.
- ruffle the surface of the water
verb pleat or gather into a ruffle
pleat.
- ruffle the curtain fabric

From Ruff a plaited collar, a drum beat, a tumult: cf. OD. ruyffelen to wrinkle.

imperfect & past participle Ruffled ; present participle & verbal noun Ruffling

To make into a ruff; to draw or contract into puckers, plaits, or folds; to wrinkle.
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. R.
I ruffled up falen leaves in heap. Chapman

Perhaps of different origin from ruffle to wrinkle; cf. OD. roffeln, roffen, to pander, LG. raffein, Dan. ruffer a pimp. Cf. Rufflan.

To grow rough, boisterous, or turbulent. R.
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.

See Ruffle, v. t. & v. i.

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. H. L. Scott.
(Zoöl.) 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. Halliwell.