Ruffianly

Pronunciation: /ˈrʌfiənli/

Definitions of ruffianly

adjective resembling or characteristic of a ruffian; rough or tough in manner or appearance

Example Sentences

A1 The ruffianly man scared the children at the park.

A2 The ruffianly behavior of the bullies made the students feel unsafe.

B1 The ruffianly gang members were causing trouble in the neighborhood.

B2 The ruffianly attitude of the suspect made the police officers cautious.

C1 The ruffianly tactics used by the rebels were highly effective in their guerrilla warfare.

C2 The ruffianly leader of the criminal organization was finally apprehended by the authorities.

Examples of ruffianly in a Sentence

formal The ruffianly behavior of the protestors was condemned by the authorities.

informal That guy at the bar was acting all ruffianly last night.

slang Don't mess with him, he's known to be pretty ruffianly.

figurative The storm swept through the town with a ruffianly force, leaving destruction in its wake.

Grammatical Forms of ruffianly

• past tense: ruffianlied
• plural: ruffianlies
• comparative: more ruffianly
• superlative: most ruffianly
• present tense: ruffianlies
• future tense: will ruffianly
• perfect tense: have ruffianlied
• continuous tense: is ruffianlying
• singular: ruffianly
• positive degree: ruffianly
• infinitive: to ruffianly
• gerund: ruffianlying
• participle: ruffianlied

Origin and Evolution of ruffianly

First Known Use: 1400 year

Language of Origin: Middle English

Story behind the word: The word 'ruffianly' originated from Middle English, influenced by the Old French word 'rufien'.

Evolution of the word: Originally used to describe someone who is brutal or violent, the meaning of 'ruffianly' has evolved to also encompass behavior that is rough or rowdy in a more general sense.