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Ruff   /rəf/   Listen
noun
Ruff  n.  (Card Playing)
(a)
A game similar to whist, and the predecessor of it.
(b)
The act of trumping, especially when one has no card of the suit led.


Ruff  n.  
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." "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."
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."
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!"
4.
Wanton or tumultuous procedure or conduct. (Obs.) "To ruffle it out in a riotous ruff."
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.
7.
(Zool.) A set of lengthened or otherwise modified feathers round, or on, the neck of a bird.
8.
(Zool.)
(a)
A limicoline bird of Europe and Asia (Pavoncella pugnax, syn. Philomachus 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.


Ruffe, Ruff  n.  (Zool.) A small freshwater European perch (Acerina vulgaris); called also pope, blacktail, and stone perch, or striped perch.


verb
Ruff  v. i. & v. t.  (Card Playing) To trump.


Ruff  v. t.  (past & past part. ruffed; pres. part. ruffing)  
1.
To ruffle; to disorder.
2.
(Mil.) To beat with the ruff or ruffle, as a drum.
3.
(Hawking) To hit, as the prey, without fixing it.
4.
(Card Playing) To play a trump card at bridge; as, he ruffed his partner's ace.





Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48


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"Ruff" Quotes from Famous Books



... above it part of the skin is blue and part scarlet. The bill is orange and black, and those curious lumps or carbuncles on its forehead are rich orange. At the lower part of the neck it wears a black ruff. The wing feathers and tail are black, and the lower part of the body white, and the rest a fine ...
— On the Banks of the Amazon • W.H.G. Kingston
... blue greatly predominated, so as to remove the tawdry effect too frequently produced in tartan, by the mixture and strong opposition of colours. An antique silver chain hung round her neck, and supported the WREST, or key, with which she turned her instrument. A small ruff rose above her collar, and was secured by a brooch of some value, an old keepsake from Lord Menteith. Her profusion of light hair almost hid her laughing eyes, while, with a smile and a blush, she mentioned that she had M'Aulay's directions ...
— A Legend of Montrose • Sir Walter Scott
... now, but later in the day, when her hair would be taken out of its crimping kids, her sallow cheeks touched with rouge, and her veined neck covered by a high collar, a coral chain, and an ostrich-feather ruff, some traces of her former good looks might be visible. She still affected tight corsets, high heels, enormous hats. But Emeline's interest in her own appearance was secondary now to her fierce pride and faith in Julia's beauty. Drifting along the line of least resistance, ...
— The Story Of Julia Page - Works of Kathleen Norris, Volume V. • Kathleen Norris
... in a Spanish costume, with a little ruff round his neck, a sword by his side, and a stately manner. The General's lady was Madame Rubens, in black velvet made high round the neck, exceedingly warm, and with a mill-stone round her neck in the shape of a great ruff—accurately dressed after ...
— Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen • Hans Christian Andersen
... noble Captain be affronted by a starch'd Ruff and Beard, a Coward in querpo, a walking Bunch of Garlick, a pickl'd Pilchard! abuse the noble Captain, and bear it off in State, like a Christmas Sweet-heart; these things must not be whilst Nicholas ...
— The Works of Aphra Behn, Vol. I (of 6) • Aphra Behn


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