ruffle
Translation
to disturb, to annoy, to mess up, to pleat
Examples
The wind ruffled the surface of the water.
The wind ruffled the surface of the water.
His comment ruffled her feathers.
His comment ruffled her feathers.
Grammar Patterns
((sth.)) to disturb the smooth surface of (sth.) The wind ruffled his hair.
((sb.)) to annoy or upset (sb.) Don't let his comments ruffle you.
Similar Words
Synonyms: disturb, ripple, annoy, fluster; Antonyms: smooth, calm, soothe
Etymology
Possibly from Low German 'ruffelen' meaning 'to wrinkle, to curl'.
Memory Tips
Imagine a dog ruffling its fur, or ruffling through papers. The sound 'ruff' is a bit rough, like the action.