ruffian

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: ruf=fi=an

CIDE DICTIONARY

ruffian, n. [F. rufien, OF. ruffien, ruffian, pimp, libertine, rake; cf. Pr. & Sp. rufian, It. ruffiano; all perhaps of German or Dutch origin; cf. G. raufen to pluck, scuffle, fight, OD. roffen to pander. Cf. Ruffle to grow turbulent.].

•  A pimp; a pander; also, a paramour.  [1913 Webster]

  "He [her husband] is no sooner abroad than she is instantly at home, reveling with her ruffians."  [1913 Webster]
•  A boisterous, cruel, brutal fellow; a desperate fellow ready for murderous or cruel deeds; a cutthroat.  [1913 Webster]

  "Wilt thou on thy deathbed play the ruffian?"  [1913 Webster]
•  A tough, lawless or bullying person.  [1913 Webster]

ruffian, a. 

 Brutal; cruel; savagely boisterous; murderous; as, ruffian rage.  [1913 Webster]

ruffian, v. i. 

 To play the ruffian; to rage; to raise tumult.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

ruffian, n. a violent lawless person.

Derivative

ruffianism n. ruffianly adv.

Etymology

F ruf(f)ian f. It. ruffiano, perh. f. dial. rofia scurf

THESAURUS

ruffian

Babbitt, Philistine, arriviste, bad boy, battler, belligerent, belted knight, bickerer, blade, booger, boor, bounder, bourgeois, bravo, brawler, bucko, buffoon, bugger, bully, bullyboy, cad, churl, clown, combatant, competitor, contender, contestant, cutthroat, cutup, desperado, devil, disputant, duelist, elf, enfant terrible, enforcer, epicier, fencer, feuder, fighter, fighting cock, foilsman, funmaker, gamecock, gladiator, goon, gorilla, groundling, gunman, guttersnipe, hatchet man, hell-raiser, hellcat, hood, hoodlum, hooligan, ill-bred fellow, imp, joker, jokester, jouster, killer, knave, knight, little devil, little monkey, little rascal, looby, lout, low fellow, mad dog, militant, minx, mischief, mischief-maker, mucker, nouveau riche, parvenu, peasant, pixie, plug-ugly, practical joker, prankster, puck, punk, quarreler, rapscallion, rascal, ribald, rioter, rival, rogue, rough, roughneck, rowdy, sabreur, scamp, scapegrace, scrapper, scuffler, squabbler, strong arm, strong-arm man, strong-armer, struggler, swashbuckler, sword, swordplayer, swordsman, thug, tilter, tough, tussler, upstart, vulgarian, vulgarist, wag, wrangler, yahoo, yokel

ROGET THESAURUS

ruffian

Evil doer

N evil doer, evil worker, wrongdoer, mischief-maker, marplot, oppressor, tyrant, destroyer, Vandal, iconoclast, firebrand, incendiary, fire bug, pyromaniac, anarchist, communist, terrorist, savage, brute, ruffian, barbarian, semibarbarian, caitiff, desperado, Apache, hoodlum, hood, plug-ugly, Red Skin, tough, Mohawk, Mo-hock, Mo-hawk, bludgeon man, bully, rough, hooligan, larrikin, dangerous classes, ugly customer, thief, cockatrice, scorpion, hornet, snake, viper, adder, snake in the grass, serpent, cobra, asp, rattlesnake, anaconda, canker-worm, wire-worm, locust, Colorado beetle, alacran, alligator, caymon, crocodile, mosquito, mugger, octopus, torpedo, bane, cutthroat, cannibal, anthropophagus, anthropophagist, bloodsucker, vampire, ogre, ghoul, gorilla, vulture, gyrfalcon, gerfalcon, wild beast, tiger, hyena, butcher, hangman, blood-hound, hell- hound, sleuth-hound, catamount, cougar, jaguar, puma, hag, hellhag, beldam, Jezebel, monster, fiend, devil incarnate, demon in human shape, Frankenstein's monster, harpy, siren, Furies, Eumenides, Hun, Attila, scourge of the human race, faenum habet in cornu.

Bad Man

N bad man, wrongdoer, worker of iniquity, evildoer, sinner, the wicked, bad example, villain, rascal, scoundrel, miscreant, budmash, caitiff, wretch, reptile, viper, serpent, cockatrice, basilisk, urchin, tiger, monster, devil, devil incarnate, demon in human shape, Nana Sahib, hellhound, hellcat, rakehell, bad woman, jade, Jezebel, scamp, scapegrace, rip, runagate, ne'er-do-well, reprobate, scalawag, scallawag, rou_e, rake, Sadist, skeesicks, skeezix, limb, one who has sold himself to the devil, fallen angel, ame damnee, vaurien, mauvais sujet, loose fish, sad dog, rounder, lost sheep, black sheep, castaway, recreant, defaulter, prodigal, rough, rowdy, hooligan, tough, ugly customer, mean mother, ruffian, bully, meanie, Jonathan Wild, hangman, incendiary, arsonist, fire bug, thief, murderer, terrorist, culprit, delinquent, crook, hoodlum, hood, criminal, thug, malefactor, offender, perpetrator, perp, disorderly person, misdemeanant, outlaw, scofflaw, vandal, felon, (convicted criminal), criminal, convict, prisoner, inmate, jail bird, ticket of leave man, multiple offender, blackguard, polisson, loafer, sneak, rapscallion, rascallion, cullion, mean wretch, varlet, kern, ame-de-boue, drole, cur, dog, hound, whelp, mongrel, lown, loon, runnion, outcast, vagabond, rogue, ronian, scum of the earth, riffraff, Arcades ambo, Int, sirrah!, Acherontis pabulum, gibier de potence.