Nearby Words
noun
1.
a tough, lawless person; roughneck; bully.
adjective
2.
Also, ruf·fi·an·ly. tough; lawless; brutal.
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Ruffian
is always a great word to know.
So is gobo. Does it mean:
| a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare. |
| a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison. |
Origin:
1525–35; < Middle French < Italian ruffiano, perhaps < Langobardic *hruf scurf + Italian -ano -an
1525–35; < Middle French < Italian ruffiano, perhaps < Langobardic *hruf scurf + Italian -ano -an
Synonyms
1. brute, tough, knave, rogue, blackguard.
1. brute, tough, knave, rogue, blackguard.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To ruffian
Example Sentences
- Ruffian sustained a compound fracture of her right front leg.
- Ruffian makes a similar version and although it's no steal it's still only a third of the cost.
- The novel traces this transformation from provin- cial ruffian to national hero.
Collins
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
ruffian
1531, from M.Fr. rufian "a pimp," from It. ruffiano "a pander, pimp," of uncertain origin, perhaps from a Gmc. source related to rough (q.v.), but Du. roffiaan, Ger. Ruffian are said to be from French. Eng. meaning may have been influenced by similarity of sound to rough.
EXPANDThe Romanic words (e.g. M.L. ruffianus, Prov. rufian, Catalan rufia, Sp. rufian) preserve the sense of "protector or owner of whores." For sense evolution in Eng., cf. bully.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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