ruffian
/ˈɹʌfi.ən/ noun, verb, adjective
Forms ruffians ruffianing ruffianed
- noun A scoundrel, rascal, or unprincipled, deceitful, brutal and unreliable person.
- noun (obsolete) A pimp; a pander.
- noun (obsolete) A lover; a paramour.
- verb (transitive) To play the ruffian; to rage; to raise tumult.
- adjective Brutal, cruel, ruffianlike. “ruffian rage”
Synonyms
rogue scamp agitator bad boy bad news bear beggar bhoy blackguard booger boot boy bovver boy brat brawler breedbate buffoon bugger bully charva cutup tough hooligan roughneck rowdy yob yobo yobbo
Etymology
From Middle French rufian, from Italian ruffiano (“pimp”).
Webster’s 1913
- noun A pimp; a pander; also, a paramour. [Obs.]
- noun A boisterous, cruel, brutal fellow; a desperate fellow ready for murderous or cruel deeds; a cutthroat.
- adjective brutal; cruel; savagely boisterous; murderous; as, ruffian rage.
- verb To play the ruffian; to rage; to raise tumult. [R.] Shak.
Etymology [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.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “ruffian”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details