ruffle

Plural: ruffles

Noun

• a strip of pleated material used as a decoration or a trim
• a high tight collar
• a noisy fight
• Any gathered or curled strip of fabric added as trim or decoration.
• Disturbance; agitation; commotion.
• A low, vibrating beat of a drum, quieter than a roll; a ruff.
• The connected series of large egg capsules, or oothecae, of several species of American marine gastropods of the genus Fulgur.

Verb

Verb Forms: ruffled, ruffling, ruffles

• To disturb the smoothness or composure of something or someone.
• stir up (water) so as to form ripples
• trouble or vex
  • "ruffle somebody's composure"
• to walk with a lofty proud gait, often in an attempt to impress others
• discompose
  • "This play is going to ruffle some people"
• twitch or flutter
• mix so as to make a random order or arrangement
• erect or fluff up
  • "the bird ruffled its feathers"
• disturb the smoothness of
  • "ruffle the surface of the water"
• pleat or gather into a ruffle
  • "ruffle the curtain fabric"
• To make a ruffle in; to curl or flute, as an edge of fabric.
• To disturb; especially, to cause to flutter.
• To grow rough, boisterous, or turbulent.
• To become disordered; to play loosely; to flutter.
• To be rough; to jar; to be in contention; hence, to put on airs; to swagger.
• To make into a ruff; to draw or contract into puckers, plaits, or folds; to wrinkle.
• To erect in a ruff, as feathers.
• To beat with the ruff or ruffle, as a drum.
• To throw together in a disorderly manner.

Examples

• A well-placed ’Q’ without a ’U’ can truly RUFFLE an opponent’s feathers.
• Her sudden volley of insults ruffled his composure.
• Ruffle the end of the cuff.
• She loved the dress with the lace ruffle at the hem.
• The wind ruffled the papers.
• to put the mind in a ruffle

Synonyms

affray, choker, cock, cockle, disturbance, flick, flounce, fluff, fray, frill, furbelow, mess up, mix, neck ruff, pleat, prance, riffle, ripple, ruff, ruffle up, rumple, sashay, shuffle, strut, swagger, tittup, undulate, agitate, bother, bring down, discompose, disconcert, disturb, enturbulate, mortify, perturb, put out, ruffle, throw off balance, trouble, unsettle, upset

Anagrams of ruffle