n.
Pronunciation: ' r ə -f ə l
Function: verb
Inflected Form: ruf · fled ; ruf · fling \ -f( ə -)li ŋ \
Etymology: Middle English ruffelen; akin to Low German ruffelen to crumple
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1 a : ROUGHEN , ABRADE b : TROUBLE , VEX <is not ruffled by such barbs ― Bruce Anderson>
2 : to erect (as feathers) in or like a ruff
3 a : to flip through (as pages) b : SHUFFLE
4 : to make into a ruffle
intransitive verb : to become ruffled <their dispositions ruffle perceptibly ― Life >