noun an exhibition of pride or haughtiness.
2. ruff ·vt to hit, as the prey, without fixing it.
3. ruff ·noun wanton or tumultuous procedure or conduct.
4. ruff ·vt to beat with the ruff or ruffle, as a drum.
5. ruff ·noun ·alt. of ruffe.
6. ruff ·vi & ·vt to trump.
7. ruff ·noun a game similar to whist, and the predecessor of it.
8. ruff ·noun a variety of the domestic pigeon, having a ruff of its neck.
9. ruff ·noun a low, vibrating beat of a drum, not so loud as a roll; a ruffle.
10. ruff ·vt to ruffle; to disorder.
11. ruff ·noun the act of trumping, especially when one has no card of the suit led.
12. ruff ·noun something formed with plaits or flutings, like the collar of this name.
13. ruff ·noun a set of lengthened or otherwise modified feathers round, or on, the neck of a bird.
14. ruff ·noun a collar on a shaft ot other piece to prevent endwise motion. ·see ·illust. of collar.
15. ruff ·noun a muslin or linen collar plaited, crimped, or fluted, worn formerly by both sexes, now only by women and children.
xvi. ruff ·noun a limicoline bird of europe and asia (pavoncella, / 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.