to ruffle
7
4.2
- verb
- /ˈrʌfəl/
:
agitar
- A light breeze began to ruffle the leaves on the trees, creating a soft whispering sound.
- a breeze ruffled
- the wind ruffled
- ruffled the water
Restaurant servers, the guy who would cut the lawn even to some of your extended family, but then they'd playfully ruffle your hair and say, how's my kid doing?
- Restaurant servers, the guy who would cut the lawn even to some of your extended family, but then they'd playfully ruffle your hair and say, how's my kid doing?
Examples
-
The wind picked up, causing the ocean to ruffle and form small waves all around us.
-
A damp wind ruffled her clothes as she walked a few steps, then stopped.
Fiction book (1997) -
I felt good out on the balcony, a dry breeze ruffling my hair.
Fiction book (1997) -
The night is quiet except for the ruffled water lapping at the rock-lined shore.
Academic text (1993) -
Everyone sighed, and a warm breeze came up over the pines and ruffled our little lake.
Fiction book (1991) -
The canvas curtain shading the small balcony off her bedroom ruffled in the breeze.
Fiction book (1998) -
The rooster, suddenly indifferent, ruffles his feathers and struts around the house.
Fiction book (1991) -
As she walked through the garden, the playful wind gently ruffled her dress, making it flutter.
Synonyms
52
3.0
To make something untidy, dirty, or not in the right place
49
2.7
To move in small waves on water when wind blows
35
3.5
To move quickly and lightly back and forth, like wings or leaves
25
6.8
To pull apart and loosen fibers by brushing or combing them
18
8.5
To make water or other liquid move strongly and become cloudy
10
7.7
To move in smooth waves like tall grass in the wind
6
5.4
To make clothes or hair wrinkled and messy
1
7.6
To make small ripples on water by moving it slightly
1
4.2
To make a smooth surface uneven or wrinkled
To make small folds in cloth by pressing or gathering it
To make a surface form small waves or ripples
To make the edges less smooth by creating small uneven parts
To gather fabric into small folds to make a decorative edge on clothes
To gather small folds in cloth to make a decorative edge
Antonyms
Idioms
Phrasal Verbs
How Uneven
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Ruffle comes from an old idea of making something 'rough' or uneven, like when wind teases feathers or a hand disturbs water. So to ruffle a surface is to make small waves or ripples and disturb its smoothness.