Ruffian : Dictionary / Wörterbuch (BEOLINGUS, TU Chemnitz)

English Dictionary: Ruffian	by the DICT Development Group
4 results for Ruffian
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
ruffian n a cruel and brutal fellow [syn: bully, tough, hooligan, ruffian, roughneck, rowdy, yob, yobo, yobbo]
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Ruffian \Ruf"fian\, a. brutal; cruel; savagely boisterous; murderous; as, ruffian rage.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Ruffian \Ruf"fian\, v. i. To play the ruffian; to rage; to raise tumult. [R.] --Shak.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Ruffian \Ruf"fian\ (? [or] ?; 277), n. [F. rufien, OF. ruffen, ruffian, pimp. libertine, ake; 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. Ruffle to grow urbulent.] 1. A pimp; a pander; also, a paramour. [Obs.] he [her husband] is no sooner abroad than she is instantly at home, reveling with her ruffians. --Bp. Reynolds. 2. A boisterous, cruel, brutal fellow; a desperate fellow ready for murderous or cruel deeds; a cutthroat. Wilt thou on thy deathbed play the ruffian? --Shak.