riffle

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈrɪfəl/ UK /ˈrɪfəl/ See IPA manual

verb noun

Meanings

1

verb
to leaf through or flick quickly, or a shallow stretch of rippling water

She riffled through the pages looking for the marked passage.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to leaf through or flick... leaf thumb flick rummage ripple rifle

Word family

Derived forms riffledriffling

Related forms ruffle ripple rifle

Etymology

Probably a blend or variant of ruffle and ripple, of imitative origin; first attested in 19th-century American English.

Topics

Describing Qualities

# riffle

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** ˈrɪfəl
**IPA (UK):** ˈrɪfəl

## Meanings
1. to leaf through or flick quickly, or a shallow stretch of rippling water

## Examples
- She riffled through the pages looking for the marked passage.

## Synonyms
- leaf
- thumb
- flick
- rummage
- ripple
- rifle

## Derived Forms
- riffled
- riffling

## Related Forms
- ruffle
- ripple
- rifle

## Etymology
Probably a blend or variant of ruffle and ripple, of imitative origin; first attested in 19th-century American English.

## AI Etymology
Riffle is probably a blend or variant of ruffle and ripple, of imitative origin; first attested in 19th-century American English. In present English it is used as a verb, "to leaf through or flick quickly, or a shallow stretch of rippling water". English derivatives include riffled and riffling; related English forms include ruffle, ripple, and rifle. The result is a verb and noun whose etymology preserves both the older form and the later English specialization.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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riffle

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