ruff

1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈrəf 

variants or ruffe

: a small freshwater European perch (Gynocephalus cernua synonym Acerina cernua)

ruff

2 of 4

noun (2)

1

: a large round collar of pleated muslin or linen worn by men and women of the late 16th and early 17th centuries

2

: a fringe or frill of long hairs or feathers growing around or on the neck of an animal

3

: a common Eurasian sandpiper (Calidris pugnax synonym Philomachus pugnax) whose male during the breeding season has a large ruff of erectile feathers on the neck

ruffed

ˈrəft 

adjective

Illustration of ruff

• ruff 1

ruff

3 of 4

verb

ruffed; ruffing; ruffs

intransitive verb

: to take a trick with a trump

transitive verb

: to play a trump on (a card previously led or played)

ruff

4 of 4

noun (3)

: the act of trumping

Examples of ruff in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Layers of gauzy chiffon were cinched with bustiers and ruffs were made from shredded newspaper. —Violet Goldstone, WWD, 4 Nov. 2024

When East discards on a trump lead to the ace next, Cy can lead a trump to dummy’s nine, take his club ruff in dummy and cash the queen of trumps. —Frank Stewart, The Mercury News, 3 Nov. 2024

Verb

If East-West had followed, Cy would have drawn trumps, cashed the K-A of clubs and ruffed his last club in dummy for 10 sure tricks. —Frank Stewart, The Mercury News, 3 Nov. 2024

East won and led the ace of clubs, forcing dummy to ruff with ten and making a winner of West’s eight of trumps. —Frank Stewart, The Mercury News, 11 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English ruf

Noun (2)

probably back-formation from ruffle

Verb

Middle French roffler

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1598, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun (3)

circa 1828, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

ruff

noun

ˈrəf

1

: a large round collar of pleated muslin or linen worn by men and women in the 16th and 17th centuries

2

: a fringe of long hairs or feathers growing around or on the neck of an animal

ruffed

ˈrəft

adjective