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to ruckle

to ruckle

9.9
A rough rattling sound in the throat that happens when breathing or coughing
  • verb
  • UK
translation icon : roncar
  • The old man's breath began to ruckle ominously in his chest.

Examples

  • The dog ruckled softly in its sleep.

  • I heard the cat ruckling as it slept.

  • He feared she would ruckle with every breath until morning.

  • Late at night, the dog would ruckle softly as it slept by the fire.

  • The old man's breath began to ruckle ominously in his chest, warning everyone of his serious condition.

  • Late at night, the dog would ruckle softly as it slept peacefully by the fire, creating a comforting sound.

  • She could hear her grandfather ruckle in his sleep, a sound that reminded her of his age and fragile health.

How Hoarse

to croak
8 4.4
to ruckle
  • UK
9.9
rasp
4 7.1

Surface Forms

ruckle infinitive
ruckled past
ruckled past participle
ruckling present participle
ruckles third person singular

Morphology

ruckle = ruck (opaque) = ruck + le

Although formally analyzable as 'ruck' + '-le', the sense 'make a hoarse, rattling sound' is not derivable from the basic meaning 'gather/wrinkle' and appears semantically distinct or dialectal.

Etymology

Ruckle meaning 'to make a hoarse, rattling sound' can be remembered by thinking of the common word rattle, a rough noise. So, when someone's breath 'ruckles' it is like a soft rattle in the throat or chest.