Emily Dickinson Lexicon

RAFF, v.t. [G. raffen, to sweep, to seize or snatch. It seems to be from the root of Sax. reafian, L. rapio; Ch. Syr. and Heb. גרף, Ar. جَرَفَ jarafa, to sweep away; Pers. رُفْتَنْ roftan, id.]

To sweep; to snatch, draw or huddle together; to take by a promiscuous sweep. [Obs.] Their causes and effects I thus raff up together. – Carew.