Ruff — Ruff, n. [Of uncertain origin: cf. Icel. r[umc]finn rough, uncombed, Pr. ruf rude, rough, Sp. rufo frizzed, crisp, curled, G. raufen to pluck, fight, rupfen to pluck, pull, E. rough. [root]18. Cf. {Ruffle} to wrinkle.] 1. A muslin or linen collar … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
ruff — ► NOUN 1) a projecting starched frill worn round the neck, characteristic of Elizabethan and Jacobean costume. 2) a ring of feathers or hair round the neck of a bird or mammal. 3) (pl. same or ruffs) a wading bird, the male of which has a large… … English terms dictionary
ruff — ruff1 [ruf] n. [contr. of RUFFLE1, n.] 1. a high, frilled or pleated collar of starched muslin, lace, etc., worn by men and women in the 16th and 17th cent. 2. a band of distinctively colored or protruding feathers or fur about the neck of an… … English World dictionary
ruff — [rʌf] n [Date: 1500 1600; Origin: Probably from RUFFLE1] 1.) a stiff circular white collar, worn in the 16th century 2.) a circle of feathers or fur around the neck of an animal or bird … Dictionary of contemporary English
ruff — [ rʌf ] noun count 1. ) the fur or feathers that grow around the neck of an animal or bird 2. ) a large collar with upright folds that people wore in the 16th and 17th centuries … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
Ruff — Taxobox name = Ruff status = LC status system = IUCN3.1 regnum = Animalia phylum = Chordata classis = Aves ordo = Charadriiformes familia = Scolopacidae genus = Philomachus genus authority = Moehring, 1758 species = P. pugnax binomial =… … Wikipedia
ruff — ruff1 noun 1》 a projecting starched frill worn round the neck, characteristic of Elizabethan and Jacobean costume. 2》 a projecting or conspicuously coloured ring of feathers or hair round the neck of a bird or mammal. 3》 a pigeon of a domestic… … English new terms dictionary
ruff — ruff1 rufflike, adj. /ruf/, n. 1. a neckpiece or collar of lace, lawn, or the like, gathered or drawn into deep, full, regular folds, worn in the 16th and 17th centuries. 2. something resembling such a piece in form or position. 3. a collar, or… … Universalium
ruff — [[t]rʌ̱f[/t]] ruffs 1) N COUNT A ruff is a stiff strip of cloth or other material with many small folds in it, which some people wore round their neck in former times. ...an Elizabethan ruff. 2) N COUNT A ruff is a thick band of feathers or fur… … English dictionary
ruff — 1. n. 1 a projecting starched frill worn round the neck esp. in the 16th c. 2 a projecting or conspicuously coloured ring of feathers or hair round a bird s or animal s neck. 3 a domestic pigeon like a jacobin. 4 (fem. reeve) a wading bird,… … Useful english dictionary