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Origin and history of ruffle

ruffle(v.)

early 14c., ruffelen, "to disturb the smoothness or order of," a word of obscure origin. Similar forms are found in Scandinavian (such as Old Norse hrufla "to scratch") and Low German (ruffelen "to wrinkle, curl;" Middle Low German ruffen "to fornicate"), but the exact relation and origin of them is uncertain. Also compare Middle English ruffelen "be at odds with, quarrel, dispute."

The meaning "disarrange" (hair or feathers) is recorded from late 15c.; the sense of "annoy, vex, distract" is from 1650s. Related: Ruffled; ruffling.

ruffle(n.)

"ornamental frill of textile material drawn up at one end in gathers or plaits," 1707, from ruffle (v.). The sense of "disturbance, perturbation" is by 1704.

also from 1707

Entries linking to ruffle

ruff(n.1)

kind of large band or frill, stiffly starched, 1520s, originally in reference to sleeves (of collars, from 1550s), probably a shortened form of ruffle (n.). They were especially common in the late sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Extended to distinctive sets of feathers on the necks of birds from 1690s.

unruffled(adj.)

1650s in figurative sense, "calm, not mentally agitated, not disturbed by violent feeling," from un- (1) "not" + past participle of ruffle (v.). In reference to feathers, leaves, the brow, etc., "not physically disturbed," it is recorded from 1816. Of garments, "not having ruffles," by 1825. A verb unruffle is attested from 1680s.

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    1580s, "to strut in a defiant or insolent manner," probably a frequentative form of swag (v.) "to sway." The earliest recorded uses are in Shakespeare ("Midsummer Night's Dream," "2 Henry IV," "King Lear"). The meaning "to boast or brag" is from 1590s. Related: Swaggered; swagger
    prance
    late 14c., prauncen, originally of horses in high mettle, "make a show in walking; move proudly, lifting the feet with a capering motion," a word of unknown origin. By late 14c. of persons, "to strut, swagger, act proudly and aggressively." Perhaps related to Middle English prank
    strut
    "walk in a vain, important manner, walk with affected dignity," 1510s, from Middle English strouten "display one's clothes proudly, vainly flaunt fine attire" (late 14c.), earlier "to stick out, protrude, bulge, swell," from Old English strutian "to stand out stiffly, swell or bu
    lob
    Compare East Frisian lobbe "hanging lump of flesh," Dutch lob "hanging lip, ruffle, hanging sleeve," Danish lobbes "clown...
    crepe
    fabric," especially white or colored, not the ordinary black for mourning, from French crêpe, Old French crespe "ruff, ruffle...
    fluff
    "light, feathery stuff," 1790, apparently a variant of floow "wooly substance, down, nap" (1580s), perhaps from Flemish vluwe, from French velu "shaggy, hairy," from Latin vellus "fleece," or Latin villus "tuft of hair" (see velvet). OED suggests fluff as "an imitative modificati
    fight
    Old English feohtan "to combat, contend with weapons, strive; attack; gain by fighting, win" (intransitive; class III strong verb; past tense feaht, past participle fohten), from Proto-Germanic *fe(u)hta (source also of Old High German fehtan, German fechten, Middle Dutch and Dut
    gravel
    "stone in small, irregular fragments," early 13c., from Old French gravele "sand, gravel; sea-shore; sandy bed of a river," diminutive of grave "sand, seashore" (Modern French grève), possibly from Celtic *graw- (compare Welsh gro "coarse gravel," Breton grouan, Cornish grow "gra
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    "herbaceous plant of the genus Urtica, armed with stinging hairs" (also used of other plants of the genus and of nettle-like plants, generally with a qualifying word), Middle English netle, from Old English netele, from Proto-Germanic *natilon (source also of Old Saxon netila, Mi
    rile
    "excite, disturb, vex, annoy," 1825, American English spelling alteration to reflect a dialectal pronunciation of roil (q.v.) in a figurative sense. Compare heist from hoist and in the same era spile for spoil (v.). Bartlett writes that in both England and America roil "is now co

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