'Ruffian' definitions:
Definition of 'ruffian'
From: WordNet
Definition of 'Ruffian'
From: GCIDE
- Ruffian \Ruf"fian\, a. Brutal; cruel; savagely boisterous; murderous; as, ruffian rage. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Ruffian'
From: GCIDE
- Ruffian \Ruf"fian\, v. i. To play the ruffian; to rage; to raise tumult. [R.] --Shak. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Ruffian'
From: GCIDE
- Ruffian \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. Ruffle to grow turbulent.]
- 1. A pimp; a pander; also, a paramour. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
- He [her husband] is no sooner abroad than she is instantly at home, reveling with her ruffians. --Bp. Reynolds. [1913 Webster]
- 2. A boisterous, cruel, brutal fellow; a desperate fellow ready for murderous or cruel deeds; a cutthroat. [1913 Webster]
- Wilt thou on thy deathbed play the ruffian? --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- 2. Hence: A tough, lawless or bullying person. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'ruffian'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- arriviste,
- Babbitt,
- bad boy,
- battler,
- belligerent,
- belted knight,
- bickerer,
- blade,
- booger,
- boor,
- bounder,
- bourgeois,
- bravo,
- brawler,
- bucko,
- buffoon,
- bugger,
- bully,
- bullyboy,
- cad,
- churl,
- clown,
- combatant,
- competitor,
- contender,
- contestant,
- cutthroat,
- cutup,
- desperado,
- devil,
- disputant,
- duelist,
- elf,
- enfant terrible,
- enforcer,
- epicier,
- fencer,
- feuder,
- fighter,
- fighting cock,
- foilsman,
- funmaker,
- gamecock,
- gladiator,
- goon,
- gorilla,
- groundling,
- gunman,
- guttersnipe,
- hatchet man,
- hell-raiser,
- hellcat,
- hood,
- hoodlum,
- hooligan,
- ill-bred fellow,
- imp,
- joker,
- jokester,
- jouster,
- killer,
- knave,
- knight,
- little devil,
- little monkey,
- little rascal,
- looby,
- lout,
- low fellow,
- mad dog,
- militant,
- minx,
- mischief,
- mischief-maker,
- mucker,
- nouveau riche,
- parvenu,
- peasant,
- Philistine,
- pixie,
- plug-ugly,
- practical joker,
- prankster,
- puck,
- punk,
- quarreler,
- rapscallion,
- rascal,
- ribald,
- rioter,
- rival,
- rogue,
- rough,
- roughneck,
- rowdy,
- sabreur,
- scamp,
- scapegrace,
- scrapper,
- scuffler,
- squabbler,
- strong arm,
- strong-arm man,
- strong-armer,
- struggler,
- swashbuckler,
- sword,
- swordplayer,
- swordsman,
- thug,
- tilter,
- tough,
- tussler,
- upstart,
- vulgarian,
- vulgarist,
- wag,
- wrangler,
- yahoo,
- yokel