| 释义 |
▪ I. ruffian, n. and a.|ˈrʌfɪən|
Forms: α. 6 rufian, ruffyan(e, ruffiane, -ion, 6– ruffian. β. 6 rouffyn, ruffyne, 6–7 ruffin, ruffen, 7 ruffon.
[a. OF. rufyen, -ien, ruffien, ruffian (mod.F. rufien, rufian), = Prov. rufian, rofian, Catal. rufia, Sp. rufian, Pg. rufião (rafião), It. ruffiano, med.L. ruffianus: the ultimate origin of these forms is obscure, there being no evidence to support any of the conjectures which have been offered. French is also the source of MDu. roff-, ruffiaen (Du. roffiaan), MLG., MHG., and mod.G. ruffian.]
1. A man of a low and brutal character; one habitually given to acts of violence or crime; a cut-throat villain.
α1531Elyot Gov. ii. xii. (1880) II. 156 A commune and notable rufian or thefe, whiche had robbed and slayne a man. 1568Grafton Chron. II. 119 Assemblyng together a greate rowte of Ruffians and Robbers. 1633G. Herbert Church Militant 163 The old debauched ruffian would turn writer. 1664H. More Myst. Iniq. 413 Their beginnings being helped on by a rabble of Ruffians and Robbers. 1727–46Thomson Summer 274 Near the dire cell the dreadless wanderer oft Passes, as oft the ruffian shows his front. 1752Young Brothers iv. i, Stab me yourself, nor give me to the knife Of midnight ruffians. 1820Byron Mar. Fal. i. ii, With common ruffians leagued to ruin states! 1848A. Jameson Sacr. & Leg. Art (1850) 64 It is not a fiend, but a degraded prosaic human ruffian. 1868Freeman Norm. Conq. (1877) II. 68 The courts of ruffians like Harold and Harthacnut.
β1553T. Wilson Rhet. 99 Not a common ruffin, but a most cruell cut throte. 1576J. Woolton Chr. Man. I v b, Some tyme lyke Routters, some tyme lyke Rouffyns, but seldome like honest folckes. 1608Sylvester Du Bartas ii. iv. Decay 1077 The louzie Couch Of some base Ruffon, or some beastly Slouch. 1616R. C. Times' Whistle (1871) 48 Taurus, that ruffen, in his drunken fit, An execrable murder did committe. 1686Plot Staffordsh. 291 Inticed hither in a dismall stormy night by a bloody Ruffin. 1716T. Ward Eng. Ref. 365 A Red-Nos'd Ruffin, called Noll.
†b. ruffian's hall: (see quot. 1674). Obs.
1592Nashe P. Penilesse Wks. (Grosart) II. 53 As if men will needs carouse, conspire, and quarrell, that they may make Ruffians hall of Hell. 1605Chapman, etc. Eastw. Hoe i. i, Heyday, Ruffins hal. Sword, pumps, heers a Racket indeed. 1632Massinger City Madam i. ii, Beat down their weapons! My gate Ruffian's Hall! What insolence is this? 1674Blount, Ruffians Hall, so that part of Smithfield was antiently called, which is now the Horse⁓market, where Trials of Skill were plaid by ordinary Ruffianly people, with Sword and Buckler.
c. Pugilism. (See quot. 1823.)
1810Sporting Mag. XXXVI. 125 Ballards is a game little ruffian, and has won by strength. 1823Egan Grose's Dict. Vulgar T., Ruffian, in the pugilistic cant, is a fellow regardless of a knowledge of the science; one who hits away right or wrong, so that he can only obtain conquest.
†d. A rowdy coxcomb. Obs.
1820F. MacDonogh Hermit in London V. 36 We have also a new genus of males ycleped ruffians, far differing from our bucks or sporting gentlemen of old. 1836E. Howard R. Reefer lxiii, It was in the reign of the ‘bloods’ and the ‘ruffians’, more ferocious species of coxcombs than our dandies.
†2. One distinguished as a swaggering bully or dissolute person by his dress or appearance (esp. by wearing the hair long). Obs.
1560Pilkington Aggeus H ij b, A Ruffin wil haue more in a ruffe and hys hose, than he should spend in a yeare. 1583Exec. for Treason (1675) 39 All in their apparel, as Roisters or Ruffins. 1603in Brand Newcastle (1789) II. 232 [Apprentices shall not] weare their haire longe nor locks at their ears like ruffians. 1623R. Carpenter Conscionable Christian 54 A feast in sicknesse when worldlings hopes..lag like a Ruffians starcht Ruffe in a storme of raine. 1675Baxter Cath. Theol. ii. i. 298, I can remember since among the Religious stricter party, it was abominable to wear long hair, even to cover the ears, and now these twenty years they many of them exceed those that then were accounted Ruffians.
†3. A protector or confederate of courtesans. Obs. Cf. bully n.1 4.
A common sense in the Romance languages.
c1618Moryson Itin. iv. 412 The Common sorte lodge with Baudes called Ruffians, to whome in Venice they pay of their gayne the fifth parte. 1632Holland's Leaguer D 2, The first, a stout Ruffian to guard her. 1648Hexham ii, Een hoeren-voerder, a Ruffin, or a keeper of Whores.
4. attrib. or as adj.
a. Characteristic of, appropriate to, ruffians.
1553T. Wilson Rhet. 75 b, To eschue all folishe talke & ruffin maners. 1590Spenser F.Q. i. iv. 34 His ruffin raiment all was staind with blood. 1597Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, v. ii. 49 Was't thou ordain'd thus To die in Ruffian battell? 1725Pope Odyss. iv. 977 Experienc'd age May timely intercept the ruffian rage. 1746Thomson Cast. Indol. ii. xv, Guile and ruffian force were all their trade. 1814Scott Ld. of Isles vi. xxvi, Some fought from ruffian thirst of blood. c1840De Quincey War Wks. 1862 IV. 273 A predatory and ruffian war.
b. Having the manners, behaviour, or appearance of ruffians. Also fig. of things.
1597Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, iii. i. 22 The Windes, Who take the Ruffian Billowes by the top. 16051st Pt. Ieronimo iii. ii, As sithmen trim the long haird Ruffian fields. 1632Lithgow Trav. i. 2 Ruffian Pandors, by hopefull youth and prodigall gallants, are now..richly rewarded. 1694Motteux Rabelais v. (1737) 217 Rovers, Ruffian-Rogues, and Hedge-Creepers; Female Chamberlains. 1728–46Thomson Spring 12 See where surly Winter..calls his ruffian blasts. 1821Southey Exped. Orsua 212 note, A hero of the ruffian breed. 1871Kingsley At Last vi, The ruffian army, which is the usual curse of a Spanish American republic.
c. Relating to ruffians.
1842Borrow Bible in Spain xii, One..whose name will live for many a year in the ruffian histories of Madrid.
5. Comb., as ruffian-faced, ruffian-looking.
1794Mrs. Radcliffe Myst. Udolpho xxvi, Followed by a number of ruffian-faced fellows. 1824John Bull Mag. I. 133 One debauched ruffian-looking scarecrow.
▪ II. ruffian, v.|ˈrʌfɪən|
Also 6 ruffin.
[f. the n. Cf. Sp. rufianar, It. ruffianare.]
1. intr. To play the ruffian; esp. of wind, etc., to rage, bluster. Also const. it and out.
1594O. B. Quest. Profit. Concern. 12 b, What would haue serued their turnes fiue yeares at home,..must be spent in one yeare on proud ragges, to ruffin it out in the companie of their betters. 1604Shakes. Oth. ii. i. 7 Me thinks, the wind hath spoke aloud at Land,..If it hath ruffiand so vpon the Sea [etc.]. 1822W. Tennant Thane of Fife i. 9 Their foam-becrested heads that rowl and ruffian on!
2. Pugilism.
a. trans. To strike (one) without regard to the rules of sport; to maul, hammer.
1808Sporting Mag. XXXII. 77 Gully..kept him from falling until he had ruffianed him into an apparent senseless state. 1819Blackw. Mag. IV. 728 [He] ruffian'd the reeling youngster round the Ring.
b. intr. (Cf. ruffian n. 1 c.) Also fig.
1820Blackw. Mag. VII. 190 Even I,..who never ‘ruffian'd’ in the ring, Nor know of ‘challenge’. 1828Ibid. XXIII. 843 [Brougham] is not particularly conscientious about a foul blow..and he is too much given to ruffianing it. |