From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Ruffle \Ruf"fle\, v. 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.]
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The night comes on, and the bleak winds
Do sorely ruffle. --Shak.
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2. To become disordered; to play loosely; to flutter.
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On his right shoulder his thick mane reclined,
Ruffles at speed, and dances in the wind. --Dryden.
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3. To be rough; to jar; to be in contention; hence, to put on
airs; to swagger.
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They would ruffle with jurors. --Bacon.
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Gallants who ruffled in silk and embroidery. --Sir
W. Scott.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Ruffle \Ruf"fle\, v. 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.
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2. To furnish with ruffles; as, to ruffle a shirt.
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3. To oughen or disturb the surface of; to make uneven by
agitation or commotion.
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The fantastic revelries . . . that so often ruffled
the placid bosom of the Nile. --I. Taylor.
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She smoothed the ruffled seas. --Dryden.
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4. To erect in a ruff, as feathers.
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[the swan] ruffles her pure cold plume. --Tennyson.
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5. (Mil.) To beat with the ruff or ruffle, as a drum.
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6. To discompose; to agitate; to disturb.
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These ruffle the tranquillity of the mind. --Sir W.
Hamilton.
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But, ever after, the small violence done
Rankled in him and ruffled all his heart.
--Tennyson.
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7. To throw into disorder or confusion.
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Where best
He might the ruffled foe infest. --Hudibras.
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8. To throw together in a disorderly manner. [R.]
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I ruffled up falen leaves in heap. --Chapman
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To ruffle the feathers of, to exite the resentment of; to
irritate.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Ruffle \Ruf"fle\, n. [See Ruffle, v. 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.
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2. A state of being ruffled or disturbed; disturbance;
agitation; commotion; as, to put the mind in a ruffle.
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3. (Mil.) A low, vibrating beat of a drum, not so loud as a
roll; -- called also ruff. --H. L. Scott.
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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.
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Ruffle of a boot, the top turned down, and scalloped or
plaited. --Halliwell.
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From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
ruffle
n 1: a strip of pleated material used as a decoration or a trim
[syn: frill, flounce, ruffle, furbelow]
2: a high tight collar [syn: choker, ruff, ruffle, {neck
ruff}]
3: a noisy fight [syn: affray, disturbance, fray,
ruffle]
v 1: stir up (water) so as to form ripples [syn: ripple,
ruffle, riffle, cockle, undulate]
2: trouble or vex; "ruffle somebody's composure"
3: to walk with a lofty proud gait, often in an attempt to
impress others; "He struts around like a rooster in a hen
house" [syn: tittup, swagger, ruffle, prance,
strut, sashay, cock]
4: discompose; "This play is going to ruffle some people"; "She
has a way of ruffling feathers among her colleagues"
5: twitch or flutter; "the paper flicked" [syn: flick,
ruffle, riffle]
6: mix so as to make a random order or arrangement; "shuffle the
cards" [syn: shuffle, ruffle, mix]
7: erect or fluff up; "the bird ruffled its feathers" [syn:
ruffle, fluff]
8: disturb the smoothness of; "ruffle the surface of the water"
[syn: ruffle, ruffle up, rumple, mess up]
9: pleat or gather into a ruffle; "ruffle the curtain fabric"
[syn: ruffle, pleat]