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ruff
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As a noun, ruff means a circular frill or ruffle on a garment, especially a starched, fluted frill at the neck in Elizabethan and Jacobean England (1560s–1620s). As a verb, it means shape (fabric, etc.) into a ruff.
Meanings of ruff
29 meaningsnoun
A circular frill or ruffle on a garment, especially a starched, fluted frill at the neck in Elizabethan and Jacobean England (1560s–1620s).
Anything formed with plaits or flutings like a frill.
Senses relating to animals.
Philomachus pugnax (syn. Calidris pugnax), a gregarious, medium-sized wading bird of Eurasia; specifically, a male of the species which develops a distinctive ruff of feathers and ear tufts during mating season (the female is called a reeve).
ornithologyA set of lengthened or otherwise modified feathers on or around the neck of a bird.
zoologyA collar of lengthened or distinctively coloured fur on or around the neck of an animal.
engineeringA collar on a shaft or other piece to prevent endwise motion.
Arripis georgianus, a fish found in cool waters off the southern coast of Australia; the Australian herring or tommy ruff.
An instance of ruffing, or an opportunity to ruff, when unable to follow suit.
musicoften militaryA low, vibrating beat of a drum, quieter than a roll; a ruffle.
An external body part consisting of feathers or hair about the neck of a bird or other animalbody
Similar: frillCommon Eurasian sandpiper; the male has an erectile neck ruff in breeding seasonanimal
Similar: Philomachus pugnax(card games) the act of taking a trick with a trump when unable to follow suit
Similar: trumping
Older and rare meanings (4)
obsoleteAn exhibition of haughtiness or pride.
obsoleteTumultuous or wanton conduct or procedure.
obsoleteA bottom-dwelling carnivorous fish of the family Sparidae found in temperate and tropical waters; a porgy or sea bream.
obsoleteA game similar to whist and its predecessor.
Alternative spelling of ruffe: a small freshwater fish of the genus Gymnocephalus; specifically the Eurasian ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernua or Gymnocephalus cernuus) which has spiny fins; the pope.
verb
To shape (fabric, etc.) into a ruff; to adorn (a garment, etc.) with a ruff.
falconryOf a falcon, hawk, etc.: to hit (the prey) without fixing or grabbing hold of it.
To play a trump card to a trick when unable to follow suit (that is, when unable to play a card of the same suit as the previous or leading card).
Especially in the form ruff out: to defeat (a card, etc.) by ruffing, thus establishing the master card in the suit led.
To beat a ruff or ruffle, as on a drum.
Of a drum, etc.: to have a ruff or ruffle beaten on it.
Older and rare meanings (4)
rareTo ruffle; to disorder.
obsoleteOf a bird: to ruffle its feathers.
obsoleteTo boast, to brag.
obsoleteTo speak in a loud and domineering manner; to bluster, to swagger.
interjection
The bark of a dog; arf, woof.
adjective
Alternative spelling of rough.
Meanings from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0).