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to ruff

to ruff

9.3
To gather small folds in cloth to make a decorative edge
  • verb
  • /rʌf/
translation icon : fruncir
  • The seamstress ruffed the hem to create a decorative frill around the skirt.

Examples

  • She carefully ruffs the sleeves to add a touch of elegance to the dress.

  • After ruffing the fabric, the costume looked much more elaborate and festive.

  • She decided to ruff the edges of the fabric.

  • After ruffing the material, it looked much more decorative.

  • The seamstress ruffed the hem to create a decorative frill around the skirt.

  • She carefully ruffs the sleeves to add a touch of elegance to the dress.

  • To finish the costume, she ruffed the edges for a more ornate look.

Synonyms

to pleat
vsto ruff
13 4.4

To fold fabric into narrow even folds to shape clothing

is about creating soft gathered frills, not regular even folds
to ruffle
vsto ruff
5 4.5

Gather cloth into small folds to make a decorative edge

focuses on creating an edge frill rather than broad, even folds
to ruche
vsto ruff
  • Specialized
9.9

To gather fabric into small folds to make a decorative edge on clothes

is specifically about making a small decorative frill along an edge
to ruckle
vsto ruff
9.9

To make small folds in cloth by pressing or gathering it

is decorative gathering into neat frills, not rough or accidental wrinkling

Antonyms

smooth
256 1.0

A surface that is even and not rough

to flatten
23 2.6

Make something flat and smooth by pressing it

Compounds

neck ruff
  • Archaic
9.9

A high, stiff collar made of linen or lace worn around the neck

How Frilly

flounce
1 7.4
to ruff
9.3
to pleat
13 4.4
gather
  • Specialized
1 8.0

Surface Forms

ruff infinitive
ruffs past
ruffs past participle
ruffing present participle
ruffs third person singular

Etymology

To ruff fabric means to make a frill or pleat and comes from the same idea as the collar ruff and the word ruffle, so to ruff something is to give it a decorative neck-like frill.