ruff | |
1. n. A circular frill or ruffle on a garment, especially a starched, fluted frill at the neck in Elizabethan and Jacobean England (1560s–1620s). | |
2. n. Anything formed with plaits or flutings like a frill. | |
3. n. Senses relating to animals. | |
4. n. Philomachus pugnax (syn.), a gregarious, medium-sized wading bird of Eurasia; specifically, a male of the species which develops a distinctive ruff of | |
5. n. (ornithology) A set of lengthened or otherwise modified feathers on or around the neck of a bird. | |
6. n. (zoology) A collar of lengthened or distinctively coloured fur on or around the neck of an animal. | |
7. n. (engineering) A collar on a shaft or other piece to prevent endwise motion. | |
8. n. (obsolete) An exhibition of haughtiness or pride. | |
9. n. (obsolete) Tumultuous or wanton conduct or procedure. | |
10. v. To shape (fabric, etc.) into a ruff; to adorn (a garment, etc.) with a ruff. | |
11. v. (transitive, falconry) Of a falcon, hawk, etc.: to hit (the prey) without fixing or grabbing hold of it. | |
12. v. (rare, transitive) To ruffle; to disorder. | |
13. v. (obsolete, transitive) Of a bird: to ruffle its feathers. | |
14. v. (obsolete, transitive) To boast, to brag. | |
15. v. (obsolete, intransitive) To speak in a loud and domineering manner; to bluster, to swagger. | |
16. n. alternative spelling of ruffe: a small freshwater fish of the genus ; specifically the Eurasian ruffe ( or) which has spiny fins; the pope. | |
17. n. , a fish found in cool waters off the southern coast of Australia; the Australian herring or tommy ruff. | |
18. n. (obsolete) A bottom-dwelling carnivorous fish of the family Sparidae found in temperate and tropical waters; a porgy or sea bream. | |
19. v. To play a trump card to a trick when unable to follow suit (that is, to play a card of the same suit as the previous or leading card). | |
20. v. Especially in the form ruff out: to defeat (a card, etc.) by ruffing, thus establishing the master card in the suit led. | |
21. n. (term-context, card games) | |
22. n. An instance of ruffing, or an opportunity to ruff, when unable to follow suit. | |
23. n. (obsolete) A game similar to whist and its predecessor. | |
24. n. (music, often, military) A low, vibrating beat of a drum, quieter than a roll; a ruffle. | |
25. v. To beat a ruff or ruffle, as on a drum. | |
26. v. (intransitive) Of a drum, etc.: to have a ruff or ruffle beaten on it. | |
27. interj. The bark of a dog; arf, woof. | |
28. adj. (colloquial) alternative spelling of rough. | |