ruff
    n 1: an external body part consisting of feathers or hair about
         the neck of a bird or other animal [syn: frill, ruff]
    2: a high tight collar [syn: choker, ruff, ruffle, neck
       ruff]
    3: common Eurasian sandpiper; the male has an erectile neck ruff
       in breeding season [syn: ruff, Philomachus pugnax]
    4: (card games) the act of taking a trick with a trump when
       unable to follow suit [syn: ruff, trumping]
    v 1: play a trump [syn: trump, ruff]

Ruff \Ruff\ (r[u^]f), n. [F. ronfle; cf. It. ronfa, Pg. rufa,
   rifa.] (Card Playing)
   (a) A game similar to whist, and the predecessor of it.
       --Nares.
   (b) The act of trumping, especially when one has no card of
       the suit led.
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Ruff \Ruff\, v. i. & t. (Card Playing)
   To trump.
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Ruff \Ruff\, n. [Of uncertain origin: cf. Icel. r[=u]finn rough,
   uncombed, Pr. ruf rude, rough, Sp. rufo frizzed, crisp,
   curled, G. raufen to pluck, fight, rupfen to pluck, pull, E.
   rough. [root]18. Cf. Ruffle to wrinkle.]
   1. A muslin or linen collar plaited, crimped, or fluted, worn
      formerly by both sexes, now only by women and children.
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            Here to-morrow with his best ruff on. --Shak.
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            His gravity is much lessened since the late
            proclamation came out against ruffs; . . . they were
            come to that height of excess herein, that twenty
            shillings were used to be paid for starching of a
            ruff.                                 --Howell.
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   2. Something formed with plaits or flutings, like the collar
      of this name.
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            I reared this flower; . . .
            Soft on the paper ruff its leaves I spread. --Pope.
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   3. An exhibition of pride or haughtiness.
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            How many princes . . . in the ruff of all their
            glory, have been taken down from the head of a
            conquering army to the wheel of the victor's
            chariot!                              --L'Estrange.
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   4. Wanton or tumultuous procedure or conduct. [Obs.]
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            To ruffle it out in a riotous ruff.   --Latimer.
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   5. (Mil.) A low, vibrating beat of a drum, not so loud as a
      roll; a ruffle.
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   6. (Mach.) A collar on a shaft ot other piece to prevent
      endwise motion. See Illust. of Collar.
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   7. (Zool.) A set of lengthened or otherwise modified feathers
      round, or on, the neck of a bird.
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   8. (Zool.)
      (a) A limicoline bird of Europe and Asia (Pavoncella
          pugnax, syn. Philomachus pugnax) allied to the
          sandpipers. The males during the breeding season have
          a large ruff of erectile feathers, variable in their
          colors, on the neck, and yellowish naked tubercles on
          the face. They are polygamous, and are noted for their
          pugnacity in the breeding season. The female is called
          reeve, or rheeve.
      (b) A variety of the domestic pigeon, having a ruff of its
          neck.
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Ruff \Ruff\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ruffed; p. pr. & vb. n.
   Ruffing.]
   1. To ruffle; to disorder. --Spenser.
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   2. (Mil.) To beat with the ruff or ruffle, as a drum.
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   3. (Hawking) To hit, as the prey, without fixing it.
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   4. (Card Playing) To play a trump card at bridge; as, he
      ruffed his partner's ace.
      [PJC] Ruff

Ruff \Ruff\, Ruffe \Ruffe\, n. [OE. ruffe.] (Zool.)
   A small freshwater European perch (Acerina vulgaris); --
   called also pope, blacktail, and stone perch, or
   striped perch.
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Ruffle \Ruf"fle\, n. [See Ruffle, v. t. & i.]
   1. That which is ruffled; specifically, a strip of lace,
      cambric, or other fine cloth, plaited or gathered on one
      edge or in the middle, and used as a trimming; a frill.
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   2. A state of being ruffled or disturbed; disturbance;
      agitation; commotion; as, to put the mind in a ruffle.
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   3. (Mil.) A low, vibrating beat of a drum, not so loud as a
      roll; -- called also ruff. --H. L. Scott.
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   4. (Zool.) The connected series of large egg capsules, or
      oothecae, of any one of several species of American marine
      gastropods of the genus Fulgur. See Ootheca.
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   Ruffle of a boot, the top turned down, and scalloped or
      plaited. --Halliwell.
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Trump \Trump\, n. [A corruption of triumph, F. triomphe. See
   Triumph, and cf. Trump a trumpet.]
   1. A winning card; one of a particular suit (usually
      determined by chance for each deal) any card of which
      takes any card of the other suits.
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   2. An old game with cards, nearly the same as whist; --
      called also ruff. --Decker.
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   3. A good fellow; an excellent person. [Slang]
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            Alfred is a trump, I think you say.   --Thackeray.
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   To put to one's trumps, or To put on one's trumps, to
      force to the last expedient, or to the utmost exertion.
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            But when kings come so low as to fawn upon
            philosophy, which before they neither valued nor
            understood, it is a sign that fails not, they are
            then put to their last trump.         --Milton.
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            Put the housekeeper to her trumps to accommodate
            them.                                 --W. Irving.
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