ruffian
ruffian is defined in Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1913) with 3 senses. The full text of each entry is reproduced verbatim below.
Definitions
- 1.A boisterous, cruel, brutal fellow; a desperate fellow ready for murderous or cruel deeds; a cutthroat. Wilt thou on thy deathbed play the ruffian Shak.
- 2.brutal; cruel; savagely boisterous; murderous; as, ruffian rage.
- 3.To play the ruffian; to rage; to raise tumult. [R.] Shak.
Source: Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
Related questions
Reverse-dictionary questions
Definition-first questions whose answer is ruffian.
- What is a boisterous, cruel, brutal fellow; a desperate fellow ready for murderous or cruel deeds; a cutthroat. Wilt thou on thy deathbed play the ruffian Shak called?
- What is brutal; cruel; savagely boisterous; murderous; as, ruffian rage called?
- What is to play the ruffian; to rage; to raise tumult. [R.] Shak called?
Sources
- Definitions: Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
- Canonical URL: https://worddirectanswers.com/word/ruffian
- Steward: Jason Burns