I. ruf ‧ fle 1 /ˈrʌf ə l/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Origin: Perhaps copying the action ]
1 . ( also ruffle something ↔ up ) to make a smooth surface uneven:
He ruffled her hair affectionately.
A light wind ruffled the water.
2 . to offend or upset someone slightly:
Louise’s sharp comments had ruffled his pride.
ruffle sb’s feathers (=offend someone)
II. ruffle 2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
a band of thin cloth sewn in folds as a decoration around the edge of something such as a collar