to ruffle
1
4.5
- verb
- /ˈrʌfəl/
- The designer instructed her team to ruffle the fabric so that it would cascade elegantly down the model's gown.
- to ruffle a blouse
- to ruffle a shirt
- to ruffle a dress
Examples
-
She decided to ruffle the fabric at the hem of her dress to add a decorative flair.
-
To create a vintage look, he chose to ruffle the edges of the curtains in his living room.
-
See, I met this guy backstage one night with a ruffled shirt on.
-
Wearing a dinner jacket with dark slacks and a ruffled white shirt, Don looked very elegant.
Fiction book (1991) -
Her skirt was as stiff as a tutu, and it flew out to reveal her ruffled slip.
Fiction book (1991) -
Mama's boots had little tassels on the side, her bodice white and ruffled.
Fiction book (2001) -
I've got a long-sleeved burgundy lace dress that I'll wear over a black, ruffled, mid-calf length slip.
Blog text (27) -
Yellow-and-pink-checked fabric on two armchairs, ruffled at the edges, so it looked as if Bobette had dressed them in pinafores.
Fiction book (1996) -
His infant seat, with the bouncy quilted liner and the colorful ruffled edges, is on the floor near the stone hearth.
Fiction book (1998) -
A tanned blonde in a flamenco dress with ruffled sleeves and a plunging neckline comes over to the table.
Fiction book (2001)
Synonyms
1
4.4
To fold fabric into narrow even folds to shape clothing
1
4.2
To make a smooth surface uneven or wrinkled
1
9.3
To gather small folds in cloth to make a decorative edge
1
9.9
To make small folds in cloth by pressing or gathering it
1
9.9
To gather fabric into small folds to make a decorative edge on clothes
Antonyms
Idioms
Phrasal Verbs
How Frilly
1
4.5
1
4.4
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Ruffle comes from the same root as ruff ('a gathered collar'), so to ruffle fabric is to gather or pleat it into little frills. That's why to ruffle a curtain or dress means to make decorative folds.