verb / noun
ruffle
RUF-ul/ˈrʌfl/
A disturbance that breaks a smooth arrangement into folds or irregularities.
The woman's fingers ruffle the tablecloth, gathering its smooth surface into wrinkles.
Etymology
Middle English ruffelen already meant disturbing smoothness or order, the idea retained in wrinkling fabric or disarranging hair and feathers. Its deeper origin and relationship to similar foreign words remain uncertain.
In context
she contrasts things like leather with satin, and she'll ruffle them, and she'll puff them up so that they have different kinds of textures.
More examples
- The bird ruffles its feathers before settling on the branch.
- Pulling off my sweater ruffled my neatly combed hair.
- A passing breeze creates a slight ruffle on the pond's surface.
Forms
ruffle · ruffles · ruffled · ruffling