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Frill vs Ruffle - What's the difference?

frill | ruffle |

Ruffle is a synonym of frill.



As nouns the difference between frill and ruffle

is that frill is a strip of pleated material used as decoration or trim; a ruffle while ruffle is any gathered or curled strip of fabric added as trim or decoration.W

As verbs the difference between frill and ruffle

is that frill is to make something into a frill while ruffle is to make a ruffle in; to curl or flute, as an edge of fabric.

frill

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A strip of pleated material used as decoration or trim; a ruffle.
  • (photography) A wrinkled edge to a film.
  • A luxury.
  • Something extraneous added for effect.
  • *
    • Mind you, clothes were clothes in those days. […]  Frills , ruffles, flounces, lace, complicated seams and gores: not only did they sweep the ground and have to be held up in one hand elegantly as you walked along, but they had little capes or coats or feather boas.

    See also

    * jabot

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make something into a frill.
  • To become wrinkled.
  • To provide or decorate with a frill or frills; to turn back in crimped plaits.
    • to frill a cap
  • To shake or shiver as with cold.
    • The hawk frills .
    (Johnson)

    Derived terms

    * frilly * no frills * turkey frills

    ruffle

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Any gathered or curled strip of fabric added as trim or decoration.(w)
    • ''She loved the dress with the lace ruffle at the hem.
  • *
    • Mind you, clothes were clothes in those days. […]  Frills, ruffles , flounces, lace, complicated seams and gores: not only did they sweep the ground and have to be held up in one hand elegantly as you walked along, but they had little capes or coats or feather boas.
  • Disturbance; agitation; commotion.
    • to put the mind in a ruffle
  • (military) A low, vibrating beat of a drum, quieter than a roll; a ruff.
  • (zoology) The connected series of large egg capsules, or oothecae, of several species of American marine gastropods of the genus Fulgur .

    • Synonyms

    * (strip of fabric) frill, furbelow

    Verb

    (ruffl)
  • To make a ruffle in; to curl or flute, as an edge of fabric.
    • Ruffle the end of the cuff.
  • To disturb; especially, to cause to flutter.
    • The wind ruffled the papers.
    Her sudden volley of insults ruffled his composure.
  • * I. Taylor
    • the fantastic revelries that so often ruffled the placid bosom of the Nile
  • * Sir W. Hamilton
    • These ruffle the tranquillity of the mind.
  • * Dryden
    • She smoothed the ruffled seas.
  • * Tennyson
    • But, ever after, the small violence done / Rankled in him and ruffled all his heart.
  • To grow rough, boisterous, or turbulent.
  • * Shakespeare
    • The night comes on, and the bleak winds / Do sorely ruffle .
  • To become disordered; to play loosely; to flutter.
  • * Dryden
    • On his right shoulder his thick mane reclined, / Ruffles at speed, and dances in the wind.
  • To be rough; to jar; to be in contention; hence, to put on airs; to swagger.
  • * Francis Bacon
    • They would ruffle with jurors.
  • * Sir Walter Scott
    • gallants who ruffled in silk and embroidery
  • To make into a ruff; to draw or contract into puckers, plaits, or folds; to wrinkle.
  • To erect in a ruff, as feathers.
  • * Tennyson
    • [The swan] ruffles her pure cold plume.
  • (military) To beat with the ruff or ruffle, as a drum.
  • To throw together in a disorderly manner.
  • * Chapman
    • I ruffled up fallen leaves in heap.

    Derived terms

    * ruffly