riffle

Meaning

Noun

1. A swift, shallow part of a stream causing broken water.
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

1. To flow over a swift, shallow part of a stream.
2. To ruffle with a rippling action.
3. To skim or flick through the pages of a book.
4. To leaf through rapidly.
5. 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. To idly manipulate objects with the fingers.
7. To prepare samples of material using a riffler.

Synonyms

ripple

ruffle

flick

browse

wavelet

cockle

rippling

undulate

flip

riff

flute

🪈

leaf

thumb

mingle

mix

muss

puddle

rapid

rip

rumple

scan

shuffle

swell

tousle

waver

alligate

leaf through

admix

shuffle cards

commingle

confound

flap

flicker

flitter

flutter

groove

gutter

intermix

jumble

luff

mash

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈɹɪfəl/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: ruffelen

Cognate with Low German: ruffelen

In summary

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