2. Expressing sorrow. "Rueful faces." Dryden.
Two rueful figures, with long black cloaks.
Sir W. Scott. — Rue"ful*ly, adv. — Rue"ful*ness, n.
Ruell bone
(Ru"ell bone`) See rewel bone. [Obs.]
Ruelle
(Ru*elle") n. [F. ruelle a narrow street, a lan ruelle, fr. rue a street.] A private circle or assembly
at a private house; a circle. [Obs.] Dryden.
Rufescent
(Ru*fes"cent) a. [L. rufescens, p. pr. of rufescere to become reddish, fr. rufus red: cf. F.
rufescent.] Reddish; tinged with red.
Ruff
(Ruff) n. [F. ronfle; cf. It. ronfa, Pg. rufa, rifa.] (Card Playing) (a) A game similar to whist, and
the predecessor of it. Nares.
(b) The act of trumping, especially when one has no card of the suit led.
Ruff
(Ruff), v. i. & t. (Card Playing) To trump.
Ruff
(Ruff), n. [Of uncertain origin: cf. Icel. rfinn rough, uncombed, Pr. ruf rude, rough, Sp. rufo frizzed,
crisp, curled, G. raufen to pluck, fight, rupfen to pluck, pull, E. rough. &radic18. Cf. Ruffle to wrinkle.]
1. A muslin or linen collar plaited, crimped, or fluted, worn formerly by both sexes, now only by women
and children.
Here to-morrow with his best ruff on.
Shak.
His gravity is much lessened since the late proclamation came out against ruffs; . . . they were come to
that height of excess herein, that twenty shillings were used to be paid for starching of a ruff.
Howell. 2. Something formed with plaits or flutings, like the collar of this name.
I reared this flower; . . .
Soft on the paper ruff its leaves I spread.
Pope. 3. An exhibition of pride or haughtiness.
How many princes . . . in the ruff of all their glory, have been taken down from the head of a conquering
army to the wheel of the victor's chariot!
L'Estrange. 4. Wanton or tumultuous procedure or conduct. [Obs.]
To ruffle it out in a riotous ruff.
Latimer. 5. (Mil.) A low, vibrating beat of a drum, not so loud as a roll; a ruffle.
6. (Mach.) A collar on a shaft ot other piece to prevent endwise motion. See Illust. of Collar.
7. (Zoöl.) A set of lengthened or otherwise modified feathers round, or on, the neck of a bird.
8. (Zoöl.) (a) A limicoline bird of Europe and Asia (Pavoncella, or Philommachus, pugnax) allied to the
sandpipers. The males during the breeding season have a large ruff of erectile feathers, variable in their
colors, on the neck, and yellowish naked tubercles on the face. They are polygamous, and are noted
for their pugnacity in the breeding season. The female is called reeve, or rheeve. (b) A variety of the
domestic pigeon, having a ruff of its neck.
