ruffian C2 Topic:Describing People US /ˈɹʌfi.ən/ See IPA manual Freq #25257 Meanings 1 noun A scoundrel, rascal, or unprincipled, deceitful, brutal and unreliable person. What wilt thou on thy death-bed play the Ruffian? 2 verb To play the ruffian; to rage; to raise tumult. Methinks the wind does speak aloud at land; A fuller blast ne'er shook our battlements. If it hath ruffianed so upon the sea. 3 adj Brutal, cruel, ruffianlike. Ruffian rage. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 noun · a scoundrel, rascal, or... agitatorbad boybad newsbearbeggarbhoyblackguardbooger Word family Forms ruffianly Derived forms ruffianageruffiandomruffianhoodruffianishruffianismruffianizeruffianlikeruffianlyruffianous Etymology From Middle French rufian, from Italian ruffiano (“pimp”). Topics Describing People External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # ruffian **Type:** Word **Level:** C2 **Part of speech:** noun, verb, adj **IPA (US):** /ˈɹʌfi.ən/ **Frequency rank:** 25257 ## Meanings 1. A scoundrel, rascal, or unprincipled, deceitful, brutal and unreliable person. 2. To play the ruffian; to rage; to raise tumult. 3. Brutal, cruel, ruffianlike. ## Examples - What wilt thou on thy death-bed play the Ruffian? - Methinks the wind does speak aloud at land; A fuller blast ne'er shook our battlements. If it hath ruffianed so upon the sea. - Ruffian rage. ## Synonyms - agitator - bad boy - bad news - bear - beggar - bhoy - blackguard - booger ## Derived Forms - ruffianage - ruffiandom - ruffianhood - ruffianish - ruffianism - ruffianize - ruffianlike - ruffianly - ruffianous ## Etymology From Middle French rufian, from Italian ruffiano (“pimp”). ## Topics - Describing People markdown