RUFFLED

Pronunciation (US):

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does ruffled mean? 

• RUFFLED (adjective)
  The adjective RUFFLED has 2 senses:

1. shaken into waves or undulations as by wind

2. having decorative ruffles or frills

  Familiarity information: RUFFLED used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• RUFFLED (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Shaken into waves or undulations as by wind

Synonyms:

rippled; ruffled

Context example:

with ruffled flags flying

Similar:

agitated (physically disturbed or set in motion)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Having decorative ruffles or frills

Synonyms:

frilled; frilly; ruffled

Similar:

adorned; decorated (provided with something intended to increase its beauty or distinction)

 Context examples 

In a breath, the river that flows through our Sunday walks is sparkling in the summer sun, is ruffled by the winter wind, or thickened with drifting heaps of ice.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

The evening passed with external smoothness, though almost every mind was ruffled; and the music which Sir Thomas called for from his daughters helped to conceal the want of real harmony.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

With an effort Dr. Sterndale recovered his ruffled composure.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

For an hour he droned away upon his violin, endeavouring to soothe his own ruffled spirits.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“And the ruffled wing,” added Hordle John.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Feeling very much ruffled, she went and stood at a quiet window to cool her cheeks, for the tight dress gave her an uncomfortably brilliant color.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

It interested me, even at that moment, to see, that, whilst the face of white set passion worked convulsively over the bowed head, the hands tenderly and lovingly stroked the ruffled hair.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

This one swung himself off the box-seat with the alacrity of a man who has no doubts about the upshot of the quarrel, and after hanging his caped coat upon the swingle-bar, he daintily turned up the ruffled cuffs of his white cambric shirt.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The wind, which had hitherto carried us along with amazing rapidity, sank at sunset to a light breeze; the soft air just ruffled the water and caused a pleasant motion among the trees as we approached the shore, from which it wafted the most delightful scent of flowers and hay.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

When at last his ruffled feelings were at ease, he addressed us at some length from his seat upon a fallen tree, speaking, as his habit was, as if he were imparting most precious information to a class of a thousand.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)