noun / verb
riffle
Small rippling movement across water.
A light breeze riffles the surface of the pond.
Etymology
Riffle is associated with rippling or lightly disturbing a surface. The water sense names the resulting small waves; its deeper derivation is uncertain.
More examples
- We wade across a shallow riffle just below the bend.
- Small riffles break the creek's otherwise smooth surface.
- A passing duck riffles the water behind it.
Forms
riffle · riffles · riffled · riffling