ruffle

Pronunciation

• IPA ^(key): /ˈrʌfəl/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

Singular ruffle

Plural ruffles

Portrait of a woman wearing a heavily ruffled cap.

1. A ruffle is any gathered or curled strip of fabric added as trim or decoration.

   She loved the dress with the lace ruffle at the hem.

2. A ruffle is a low, vibrating beat of a drum, quieter than a roll.

Verb

Plain form ruffle

Third-person singular ruffles

Past tense ruffled

Past participle ruffled

Present participle ruffling

1. (transitive) If you ruffle something, you disturb the smoothness of it.

   Ruffle the end of the cuff.

2. (transitive) If something is ruffled, it is disturbed by another thing.

   The wind ruffled the papers.