ruffian
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ruffian
- /ˈɹʌfi.ən/
Where it comes from
From Middle French rufian, from Italian ruffiano (“pimp”).
noun ruffians
-
A scoundrel, rascal, or unprincipled, deceitful, brutal and unreliable person.
What wilt thou on thy death-bed play the Ruffian?
Similar: rogue, scamp, agitator, bad boy, bad news, bear, beggar, bhoy, blackguard, booger, boot boy, bovver boy
-
A pimp; a pander.
Similar: abbot, bludger, bully, cock-bawd, dalaal, fishmonger, flashman, fleshmonger, hoon, hustler, mackerel, mack
- A lover; a paramour. He [her husband] is no sooner abroad than she is instantly at home, revelling with her ruffians.
verb ruffians · ruffianing · ruffianed
- To play the ruffian; to rage; to raise tumult. Methinks the wind does speak aloud at land; A fuller blast ne'er shook our battlements. If it hath ruffianed so upon the sea.
adjective more ruffian · most ruffian
- Brutal, cruel, ruffianlike. ruffian rage
Translations
Talk about this word "ruffian." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/ruffian. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. ruffian. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/ruffian "ruffian." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/ruffian.Cite this
@misc{ruffian_2026,
title = {ruffian},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/ruffian},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
