\Ruff\, n. [F. ronfle; cf. It. ronfa, Pg. rufa, rifa.]
(Card Playing)
(a) A game similar to whist, and the predecessor of it.
    --Nares.
(b) The act of trumping, especially when one has no card of
    the suit led.

\Ruff\, v. i. & t. (Card Playing)
To trump.

\Ruff\, n. [Of uncertain origin: cf. Icel. r?finn rough,
uncombed, Pr. ruf rude, rough, Sp. rufo frizzed, crisp,
curled, G. raufen to pluck, fight, rupfen to pluck, pull, E.
rough. [root]18. Cf. {Ruffle} to wrinkle.]
1. A muslin or linen collar plaited, crimped, or fluted, worn
   formerly by both sexes, now only by women and children.
         Here to-morrow with his best ruff on. --Shak.
         His gravity is much lessened since the late
         proclamation came out against ruffs; . . . they were
         come to that height of excess herein, that twenty
         shillings were used to be paid for starching of a
         ruff.                                 --Howell.
2. Something formed with plaits or flutings, like the collar
   of this name.
         I reared this flower; . . . Soft on the paper ruff
         its leaves I spread.                  --Pope.
3. An exhibition of pride or haughtiness.
         How many princes . . . in the ruff of all their
         glory, have been taken down from the head of a
         conquering army to the wheel of the victor's
         chariot!                              --L'Estrange.
4. Wanton or tumultuous procedure or conduct. [Obs.]
         To ruffle it out in a riotous ruff.   --Latimer.
5. (Mil.) A low, vibrating beat of a drum, not so loud as a
   roll; a ruffle.
6. (Mach.) A collar on a shaft ot other piece to prevent
   endwise motion. See Illust. of {Collar}.
7. (Zo["o]l.) A set of lengthened or otherwise modified
   feathers round, or on, the neck of a bird.
8. (Zo["o]l.)
   (a) A limicoline bird of Europe and Asia ({Pavoncella, or
       Philommachus, pugnax}) allied to the sandpipers. The
       males during the breeding season have a large ruff of
       erectile feathers, variable in their colors, on the
       neck, and yellowish naked tubercles on the face. They
       are polygamous, and are noted for their pugnacity in
       the breeding season. The female is called reeve, or
       rheeve.
   (b) A variety of the domestic pigeon, having a ruff of its
       neck.

\Ruff\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Ruffed}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Ruffing}.]
1. To ruffle; to disorder. --Spenser.
2. (Mil.) To beat with the ruff or ruffle, as a drum.
3. (Hawking) To hit, as the prey, without fixing it.

\Ruff\, Ruffe \Ruffe\, n. [OE. ruffe.] (Zo["o]l.)
A small freshwater European perch ({Acerina vulgaris}); --
called also {pope}, {blacktail}, and {stone, or striped,
perch}.