Chapter Ruddock to Ruffle of R by Webster's Dictionary (1913 Edition)

Ruff
(Ruff), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ruffed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Ruffing.]

1. To ruffle; to disorder. Spenser.

2. (Mil.) To beat with the ruff or ruffle, as a drum.

3. (Hawking) To hit, as the prey, without fixing it.

Ruff
(Ruff, Ruffe) n. [OE. ruffe.] (Zoöl.) A small freshwater European perch (Acerina vulgaris); — called also pope, blacktail, and stone, or striped, perch.

Ruffed
(Ruffed) a. Furnished with a ruff.

Ruffed grouse (Zoöl.), a North American grouse (Bonasa umbellus) common in the wooded districts of the Northern United States. The male has a ruff of brown or black feathers on each side of the neck, and is noted for the loud drumming sound he makes during the breeding season. Called also tippet grouse, partridge, birch partridge, pheasant, drummer, and white-flesher. — ruffed lemur (Zoöl.), a species of lemur (lemur varius) having a conspicuous ruff on the sides of the head. Its color is varied with black and white. Called also ruffed maucaco.

Ruffian
(Ruf"fian) n. [F. rufien, OF. ruffen, ruffian, pimp. libertine, ake; cf. pr. & Sp. rufian, It. ruffiano; all perhaps of German or Dutch origin; cf. G. raufen to pluck, scuffle, fight, OD. roffen to pander. Cf. Ruffle to grow urbulent.]

1. A pimp; a pander; also, a paramour. [Obs.]

he [her husband] is no sooner abroad than she is instantly at home, reveling with her ruffians.

Bp. Reynolds.

2. A boisterous, cruel, brutal fellow; a desperate fellow ready for murderous or cruel deeds; a cutthroat.

Wilt thou on thy deathbed play the ruffian?

Shak.

Ruffian
(Ruf"fian), a. brutal; cruel; savagely boisterous; murderous; as, ruffian rage.

Ruffian
(Ruf"fian), v. i. To play the ruffian; to rage; to raise tumult. [R.] Shak.

Ruffianage
(Ruf"fian*age) n. Ruffians, collectively; a body of ruffians. "The vilest ruffianage." Sir F. Palgrave.

Ruffianish
(Ruf"fian*ish), a. Having the qualities or manners of a ruffian; ruffianly.

Ruffianlike
(Ruf"fian*like`) a. Ruffianly. Fulke.

Ruffianly
(Ruf"fian*ly), a. Like a ruffian; bold in crimes; characteristic of a ruffian; violent; brutal.

Ruffianous
(Ruf"fian*ous) a. Ruffianly. [Obs.] Chapman.

Ruffin
(Ruf"fin) a. [See Ruffian.] Disordered. [Obs.]

His ruffin rainment all was stained with blood.

Spenser.

Ruffle
(Ruf"fle) v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ruffled ; p. pr. & vb. n. Ruffling ] [From Ruff a plaited collar, a drum beat, a tumult: cf. OD. ruyffelen to wrinkle.]

1. To make into a ruff; to draw or contract into puckers, plaits, or folds; to wrinkle.

2. To furnish with ruffles; as, to ruffle a shirt.