riffle

Etymology

Possible alteration of ruffle, from Middle English ruffelen, akin to Low German ruffelen (“to crumple”)

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɪfəl

Noun

riffle (plural riffles)

1. A fast-flowing, shallow part of a stream causing broken water.
   • James A. Henshall

     The bass have left the cool depth beside the rock and are on the riffle or just below it.

   • 2017: "On the Glories of Autumn" by Bill Barich, California Fly Fisher

     The big trout feed aggressively and tend to lose their caution in the rifles.

2. A succession of small waves.
3. A trough or sluice having cleats, grooves, or steps across the bottom for holding quicksilver and catching particles of gold when auriferous earth is washed. Also one of the cleats, grooves or steps in such trough.
4. A quick skim through the pages of a book.
5. The act of shuffling cards; the sound made while shuffling cards.

Verb

riffle (third-person singular simple present riffles, present participle riffling, simple past and past participle riffled)

1. (intransitive) To flow over a fast moving shallow part of a stream.
2. (transitive) To ruffle with a rippling action.
3. (intransitive) To skim or flick through the pages of a book.
4. (transitive) To leaf through rapidly.
5. (transitive) To shuffle playing cards by separating the deck in two and sliding the thumbs along the edges of the cards to mix the two parts.
6. (transitive) To idly manipulate objects with the fingers.
7. (transitive) To prepare samples of material using a riffler.

Anagrams

• Riffel

Verb

riffle

1. First-person singular present of riffeln.
2. First-person singular subjunctive I of riffeln.
3. Third-person singular subjunctive I of riffeln.
4. Imperative singular of riffeln.