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Webster 1913 Edition

Ruff

Ruff

(rŭf)
,
Noun.
[F.
ronfle
; cf. It.
ronfa
, Pg.
rufa
,
rifa
.]
(Card Playing)
(a)
A game similar to whist, and the predecessor of it.
Nares.
(b)
The act of trumping, especially when one has no card of the suit led.

Ruff

,
Verb.
I.
&
T.
(Card Playing)
To trump.

Ruff

,
Noun.
[Of uncertain origin: cf. Icel.
rūfinn
rough, uncombed, Pr.
ruf
rude, rough, Sp.
rufo
frizzed, crisp, curled, G.
raufen
to pluck, fight,
rupfen
to pluck, pull, E.
rough
. √18. Cf.
Ruffle
to wrinkle.]
1.
A muslin or linen collar plaited, crimped, or fluted, worn formerly by both sexes, now only by women and children.
Here to-morrow with his best
ruff
on.
Shakespeare
His gravity is much lessened since the late proclamation came out against
ruffs
; . . . they were come to that height of excess herein, that twenty shillings were used to be paid for starching of a
ruff
.
Howell.
2.
Something formed with plaits or flutings, like the collar of this name.
I reared this flower; . . .
Soft on the paper
ruff
its leaves I spread.
Pope.
3.
An exhibition of pride or haughtiness.
How many princes . . . in the
ruff
of all their glory, have been taken down from the head of a conquering army to the wheel of the victor’s chariot!
L'Estrange.
4.
Wanton or tumultuous procedure or conduct.
[Obs.]
To ruffle it out in a riotous
ruff
.
Latimer.
5.
(Mil.)
A low, vibrating beat of a drum, not so loud as a roll; a ruffle.
6.
(Mach.)
A collar on a shaft ot other piece to prevent endwise motion. See Illust. of
Collar
.
7.
(Zool.)
A set of lengthened or otherwise modified feathers round, or on, the neck of a bird.
8.
(Zool.)
(a)
A limicoline bird of Europe and Asia (
Pavoncella pugnax
, syn.
Philomachus pugnax
) allied to the sandpipers. The males during the breeding season have a large ruff of erectile feathers, variable in their colors, on the neck, and yellowish naked tubercles on the face. They are polygamous, and are noted for their pugnacity in the breeding season. The female is called
reeve
, or
rheeve
.
(b)
A variety of the domestic pigeon, having a ruff of its neck.

Ruff

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Ruffed
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Ruffing
.]
1.
To ruffle; to disorder.
Spenser.
2.
(Mil.)
To beat with the ruff or ruffle, as a drum.
3.
(Hawking)
To hit, as the prey, without fixing it.

Webster 1828 Edition

Ruff

RUFF

, n.
1.
A piece of plaited linen worn by females around the neck.
2.
Something puckered or plaited.
3.
A small fish, a species of Perca.
4.
A bird of the genus Tringa, with a tuft of feathers around the neck of the male, whence the name. The female is called reeve.
5.
A state of roughness. Obs.
6.
Pride; elevation; as princes in the ruff of all their glory.
7.
A particular species of pigeon.
8.
At cards, the act of winning the trick by trumping the cards of another suit.

RUFF

, v.t.
1.
To ruffle; to disorder.
2.
To trump any other suit of cards at whist.

Definition 2024

Ruff

Ruff

See also: ruff

Luxembourgish

Noun

Ruff m ‎(uncountable)

  1. reputation

ruff

ruff

See also: Ruff

English

A ruff (bird)
A 1724 mezzotint of Sir John Coke (1563–1644) wearing a ruff around his neck

Noun

ruff ‎(plural ruffs)

  1. A gregarious, medium-sized wading bird of Eurasia, Philomachus pugnax.
    1. A male of the species. (The female is a reeve).
  2. Alternative spelling of ruffe a small freshwater fish; a pope.
  3. A circular frill or ruffle on a garment, especially a starched, fluted frill at the neck in Elizabethan and Jacobean England.
  4. Anything formed with plaits or flutings, like the frill.
    • (Can we date this quote?) Alexander Pope
      I reared this flower; […] / Soft on the paper ruff its leaves I spread.
  5. (obsolete) An exhibition of pride or haughtiness.
    • (Can we date this quote?) L'Estrange
      How many princes […] in the ruff of all their glory, have been taken down from the head of a conquering army to the wheel of the victor's chariot!
  6. (obsolete) Wanton or tumultuous procedure or conduct.
    • (Can we date this quote?) Latimer
      to ruffle it out in a riotous ruff
  7. (military) A low, vibrating beat of a drum, quieter than a roll; a ruffle.
  8. (engineering) A collar on a shaft or other piece to prevent endwise motion.
  9. A set of lengthened or otherwise modified feathers on or around the neck of a bird.
Translations

Verb

ruff ‎(third-person singular simple present ruffs, present participle ruffing, simple past and past participle ruffed)

  1. To ruffle; to disorder.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Spenser to this entry?)
  2. (military) To beat with the ruff or ruffle, as a drum.
  3. (hawking) To hit (the prey) without fixing it.

Etymology 2

Noun

ruff ‎(plural ruffs)

  1. A card game similar to whist, and the predecessor of it.
Translations

Verb

ruff ‎(third-person singular simple present ruffs, present participle ruffing, simple past and past participle ruffed)

  1. (card games) To play a trump card to a trick, other than when trumps were led
Synonyms
Translations

Derived terms

See also

Etymology 3

Adjective

ruff ‎(comparative ruffer, superlative ruffest)

  1. (colloquial) Alternative spelling of rough

Etymology 4

Onomatopoeic.

Interjection

ruff

  1. The bark of a dog; woof.

Etymology

From Old High German (h)ruof. Cognate with German Ruf, Dutch roep, Old English hrōp.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ʀuf/

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