Lexicon: ruffle – rumor

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ruffle (-s), v. [Origin obscure, similar to Late Ger. ruffelenk, to crumple and ON hrufla, to scratch.]

Discompose; disturb; agitate; threaten to end a calm state of mind; [word play] cover with lacy white edges.

ruffled, verbal adj. [see ruffle, v.]

Frilly; ornamented.

rugged, adj. [prob. < Norw. rugga or Sw. rugg, ruffled or coarse hair.]

Rough; full of asperities on the surface; broken into sharp or irregular points or crags, or otherwise uneven, as, a rugged mountain; a rugged road.

ruin, n. [OFr ruyne < L. ruěre, to fall.]

  1. The cause of destruction.
  2. Destruction; fall; overthrow; defeat; that change of anything which destroys it, or extremely defeats its object, or unfits it for use.

rule, n. [OFr riule < L. rēgula, straight stick, bar, ruler, pattern.]

  1. That which is established as a principle, standard or directory; that by which anything is to be adjusted or regulated, or to which it is to be conformed.
  2. In arithmetic and algebra, a determinate mode prescribed for performing any operation and producing a certain result.

rule (-s), v. [OFr riuler < L. rēgulāre, to regulate.]

To govern the movements of things; to conduct; to manage; to control.

ruler, n. [see rule, v.]

One that governs, whether emperor, king, pope or governor; any one that exercises supreme power over others.

rum, n. [Origin obscure.]

Molasses liquor; alcoholic drink; strong intoxicant; Caribbean spirit distilled from cane juice; [word play on “rumble”] reverberation; thunderous sound; deafening noise.

rumble (-s), v. [ME rommelen, onomatopoetic origin.]

  1. Travel noisily; move along with a steady noise; [word play on “bumble”] buzz by like a bee.
  2. Resound; roll in waves of sound; make a low, heavy, continuous noise in the distance.

rumor (-'s), n. [OFr < L. 'noise, din.']

  1. Tale; myth; yarn; story; gossip; account; anecdote; narrative; hearsay; small talk; popular report; current story passing from one person to another, without any known authority for the truth of it.
  2. Omen; forecast; portent.
  3. Signal; rumination; [fig.] vibration; oscillation.
  4. Secret; mystery; [personification] oracle; reporter; one who disseminates information; classical goddess of fame, gossip, notoriety, and so forth.