ruffian

  • 1ruffian — [ ryfjɑ̃ ] n. m. VAR. rufian • XIVe; it. ruffiano, du rad. germ. hruf « croûte », pour qualifier, par métaph., la rudesse, la grossièreté ♦ Vx ou littér. Entremetteur, souteneur. « une espèce de grand voyou, commissionnaire, marchand de journaux …

    Encyclopédie Universelle

  • 2Ruffian — (17 avril 1972 – 7 juillet 1975) est une jument américaine considérée comme l un des meilleurs chevaux de courses américaines au XXe siècle. Sommaire 1 Carrière 2 Palmarès récompenses 2.1 …

    Wikipédia en Français

  • 3Ruffian — Ruf fian (r[u^]f yan or r[u^]f f[i^]*an; 277), n. [F. rufien, OF. ruffien, ruffian, pimp, libertine, rake; cf. Pr. & Sp. rufian, It. ruffiano; all perhaps of German or Dutch origin; cf. G. raufen to pluck, scuffle, fight, OD. roffen to pander. Cf …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 4Ruffian — Ruf fian, v. i. To play the ruffian; to rage; to raise tumult. [R.] Shak. [1913 Webster] …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 5Ruffian — Ruf fian, a. Brutal; cruel; savagely boisterous; murderous; as, ruffian rage. [1913 Webster] …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 6ruffian — 1530s, from M.Fr. rufian a pimp, from It. ruffiano a pander, pimp, of uncertain origin, perhaps from a Germanic source related to ROUGH (Cf. rough) (q.v.), but Du. roffiaan, Ger. Ruffian are said to be from French. English meaning might have been …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 7ruffian — index aggressor, delinquent, hoodlum, malefactor Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …

    Law dictionary

  • 8ruffian — [n] hoodlum brute, bully, criminal, delinquent, gangster, goon*, hood, hooligan, mobster, punk, rioter, rowdy, thug, tough guy*, troublemaker; concept 412 …

    New thesaurus

  • 9ruffian — ► NOUN ▪ a violent or lawless person. DERIVATIVES ruffianism noun ruffianly adjective. ORIGIN Old French, from Italian ruffiano, perhaps from dialect rofia scab, scurf …

    English terms dictionary

  • 10ruffian — [ruf′ē ən, ruf′yən] n. [Fr rufian < It ruffiano, a pander < dial. roffia, filth < Gmc * hruf , scurf (akin to OHG ruf, OE hreof) < IE base * kreup > Lith kraupus, rough: E sense infl. by ROUGH] a brutal, violent, lawless person;… …

    English World dictionary