The Collaborative International Dictionary
Ruffler \Ruf"fler\, n.
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One who ruffles; a swaggerer; a bully; a ruffian.
Assaults, if not murders, done at his own doors by that crew of rufflers.
--Milton. That which ruffles; specifically, a sewing machine attachment for making ruffles.
Wiktionary
n. 1 (context historical English) ruffian, bully, villain; especially a 16th-17th century vagabond operating under the guise of a maimed soldier or sailor 2 swaggerer 3 a sewing machine attachment for making ruffles
Usage examples of "ruffler".
There was a troop of crowders in the little town, and as many cozeners and dommerers as if it had been an abbey-gate, and a knot of dark men at the bridge-end who had the air of rufflers and whose long knives were plain beneath their shirts.
In every snickert and ginnel, bone-grubbers, rufflers, shivering-jemmies, anglers, clapperdogeons, peterers, sneeze-lurkers and Whip Jacks with their morts, out of the picaroon, fox and flimp and ogle.
Among their members were the violent and thieving ex-soldier rufflers, the horse-thieving priggers, the soap-frothing grantners, and the dummerers who mutely mouthed and feebly gestured for their coins but in the security of Whitefriars told riotously ribald tales and slapped their sturdy thighs in high glee.
Among the numerous afflictions which the Europeans have entailed upon some of the natives of the South Seas, is the accidental introduction among them of that enemy of all repose and ruffler of even tempers--the Mosquito.
Among their members were the violent and thieving ex-soldier rufflers, the horse-thieving priggers, the soap-frothing grantners, and the dummerers who mutely mouthed and feebly gestured for their coins but in the security of Whitefriars told riotously ribald tales and slapped their sturdy thighs in high glee.
She began to see a few familiar faces on the edges of the crowd, rufflers and whores and such anticipating the night, which was theirs.
There were guards, gilt-armed guards, with plumes and cloaks and more flash than ever the rufflers of midtown dared sport.
And, la, as to yonder base rufflers, think ye they have not their fill, but yet desire more?