rustlingn.
/ˈrʌsl̩ɪŋ/, /ˈrʌslɪŋ/, U.S. /ˈrəs(t)lɪŋ/ 1. The action of rustle v. (in various senses relating to sound); an instance of this; a rustling noise.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > repeated sound or succession of sounds > [noun] > rustling
whisping1379
rustlinga1387
flushinga1398
ruffling1440
stichling?1553
brustling1589
rustle1624
rash1671
titter1853
fidget1860
gush1866
reesle1866
frou-frou1870
silking1871
a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1876) VI. 93 (MED) Bote wiþ som manere rouschelynge [v.rr. rouslynng, roustlyge, rosslynge; L. strepitum] þat he made in ligynge adoun, his felowe awook.
c1475 (c1450) P. Idley Instr. to his Son (Cambr.) (1935) ii. B. l. 920 (MED) This slouthe man whan he doith arise Must doo his homage to Treselencellis as his duete, And with rubbyng and rustelyng do hym sacrifice.
1565 T. Cooper Thesaurus at Crepitus The rustlyng or noyse of feete goyng.
1579 E. Spenser Shepheardes Cal. Mar. f. 9v I..then heard no more rustling.
1603 P. Holland tr. Plutarch Morals 437 The great rustling and clattering that harneis and armor made.
1641 J. Milton Of Reformation 84 They would request us to indure still the russling of their Silken Cassocks.
1706 G. Farquhar Recruiting Officer iv. ii. 52 I hear the rustling of Silks... Fly, Sir, 'tis Madam Melinda.
1797 A. Radcliffe Italian I. i. 31 They heard a sudden rustling of the leaves.
1820 W. Irving Sketch Bk. II. 359 The sudden rustling in the thicket of birds frightened from their roost.
1846 C. Dickens Dombey & Son (1848) i. 4 His meditations..were soon interrupted..by the rustling of garments on the staircase.
1875 W. D. Whitney Life & Growth Lang. iv. 64 Containing a rustling or friction of the breath through a narrowed aperture.
1914 E. R. Burroughs Tarzan xxiii. 312 The incessant hum of the jungle—the rustling of millions of leaves—the buzz of insects—the voices of the birds.
1963 S. Marshall Exper. in Educ. iii. 93 I have usually been aware of a discreet rustling..among my audience, and..little note-books and pencils have appeared.
2002 Guardian 18 July ii. 9/2 The rustling of paper as people followed the printed score (thoughtfully handed out beforehand).
2. U.S. colloquial. The action of rustle v. 3; hard work; energetic striving; furious activity; bustle.In later use merging with sense 1.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > vigour or energy > [noun] > briskness or activeness > bustle or fuss > bustling or fussing
flustering1422
bustlingc1450
buskling1546
fussation1775
fussing1826
fussification1834
rustling1872
fidget1890
spuffling1893
1872 R. B. Johnson Very Far West 191 ‘Rustling’ is an Americanism, denoting the process of fighting against odds for a living.
1886 Milnor (Dakota Territory) Teller 2 July 4/1 It may be expected that some tall rustling will be indulged in during the next few weeks.
1909 ‘O. Henry’ Roads of Destiny xii. 198 Both of us had seen rough times and plenty of rustling and danger.
1936 W. Drury Editor on Comstock Lode ix. 85 The offer was accepted, and such rustling and hustling was never seen there before.
1977 Washington Post (Nexis) 27 July a22 There has been..much bureaucratic hustling and rustling backstage as an attempt is made to find the funds to provide the program Mr. Carter has in mind.
3. Originally U.S. regional (western). The rounding up and stealing of livestock, esp. cattle, from a farm or ranch. Frequently in extended use with modifying prefixed word.cattle-rustling: see the first element.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > taking > stealing or theft > stealing animals > [noun] > cattle-raiding or rustling
spreagh1809
spreaghery1814
cattle-lifting1861
rustling1906
cattle-rustling1907
1906 S. E. White Arizona Nights in McClure's Mag. Apr. 654/1 The others we tried for rustling. We didn't have much of a case, as the law went then.
1924 C. E. Mulford Rustlers' Valley x. 118 There had been no signs of rustling for months.
1937 Sun (Baltimore) 23 Oct. 3/2 Battle front of the cotton-rustling racket..is the Fabens Island area..comprising 3,000 acres of rich cotton land.
1963 Wall St. Jrnl. 11 Oct. 9 Add ‘orange rustling’ to the list of crimes against society.
1976 Evening Post (Nottingham) 14 Dec. 6/2 It's the peak of the shoplifting season..a time for turkey rustling and Christmas tree thefts.
2002 G. Elliott & R. Nieman G. Elliott 149 East Texas doesn't have the vast herds found in other sections of the state, but rustling is still a problem.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2011; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
rustlingadj.
/ˈrʌsl̩ɪŋ/, /ˈrʌslɪŋ/, U.S. /ˈrəs(t)lɪŋ/ 1.
a. That moves with a soft, muffled crackling sound.In early use, also used with reference to the sound of flowing water.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > repeated sound or succession of sounds > [adjective] > rustling
rustly1513
rustling1565
whistering1586
rustled1820
1565 T. Cooper Thesaurus Squamæ crepitantes, rustlyng scales.
1606 S. Daniel Queenes Arcadia ii. iii. sig. E1 Here by the murmour of this rusling spring, She sweetly lay.
1632 J. Hayward tr. G. F. Biondi Eromena 60 They danced at the sound of the rustling waves.
1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost i. 768 The spacious Hall..Thick swarm'd,..Brusht with the hiss of russling wings. View more context for this quotation
1735 W. Somervile Chace ii. 257 The rustling Stubbles bend Beneath the driving Storm.
1778 J. Scott Moral Ecl. iii. 9 The bending osier, and the rustling reed.
1835 J. C. Hart Miriam Coffin I. ix. 159 Young ladies..with their rich rustling brocade dresses.
1850 W. M. Thackeray Pendennis II. xxvii. 271 Under the dark arcades of the rustling limes.
1883 Cent. Mag. Nov. 6/1 The attention of the rustling, chattering, fanning audience is suddenly fixed upon the arena gate.
1909 J. G. Frazer Psyche's Task iv. 38 The sun-scorched stocks of the fruitless Indian corn shook their rustling leaves in the wind.
1954 G. Smith Flaw in Crystal i. 5 Some parties set the senses quivering and sighing; there is soft promise in the rustling taffeta and the beckoning scent.
2009 Providence (Rhode Island) Jrnl.-Bull. (Nexis) 13 June 7 The foliage flutters, even in a light breeze, producing a sound like rustling papers.
b. Designating such a sound.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > repeated sound or succession of sounds > [adjective] > rustling > of nature of rustle
rustling1565
1565 T. Cooper Thesaurus Strepitus arboris, the rustlinge noyse of a tree.
1582 G. T. tr. R. Parsons Epist. Persecution Catholickes in Eng. 76 With what rustling noyse and dynne of mutteringe male contents, and fowle mowthed detractors, theyse our martyrs were strangled.
1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Vacarme,..the rustling noyse made by armor, or armed men, in a battaile.
1654 E. Gayton Pleasant Notes Don Quixot 104 We see nothing but a rustling noise.
1756 Philos. Trans. 1755 (Royal Soc.) 49 22 Warts..so stiff and elastic, that, when the hand is drawn over them, they make a rust [l] ing noise.
1835 J. Duncan Nat. Hist. Beetles (Naturalist's Libr.: Entomol. II) 252 A rustling sound accompanies its flight.
1870 W. Morris Earthly Paradise: Pt. IV 383 And therewithal a rustling noise he heard.
1917 E. R. Burroughs Princess of Mars ii. 19 A recurrence of the rustling sound from the thing which now seemed..to be creeping stealthily upon me.
1934 E. Bowen Cat Jumps 74 The skies were disturbed by a high-up swift rustling sigh: the summer birds flying south.
2000 Canberra Sunday Times 11 June 48/1 The..rustling noise of a pair of crested pigeons feeding on the berry bush nearby.
2. Chiefly U.S. colloquial. Busy, bustling; full of activity; (of a person) that works energetically and persistently to achieve something, esp. in difficult economic circumstances; energetic, driven. Cf. rustle v. 3a. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > vigour or energy > [adjective] > energetic or enterprising
adventurousc1330
emprising1584
enterprising1601
spirited1601
yanking1823
go-ahead1829
go-aheadative1836
go-aheadish1851
fore-reaching1864
get-up-and-get1874
rustling1877
outpushing1884
thrustful1909
go-getting1912
push-and-go1916
can-do1926
go-go-go1954
1877 Spirit of Times 24 Nov. 440/3 Wide-awake, rustling Denver, the city par excellence of the plains, its tireless, energetic push and enterprise.
1882 Cent. Mag. 24 508/2 To do a rustling business is to carry on an active trade.
1884 Milnor (Dakota Territory) Teller 17 Oct. 8/1 A rustling real estate dealer of Forman..was in the city most of the week.
1914 Jrnl. Amer. Inst. Criminal Law & Criminol. 5 482 The whole real estate department of the bank that had been doing a rustling business for some years was taken over by the state.
1935 in M. Taft Blues Lyric Poetry (1983) 23 I'm a rustling man, I rustle night and day. Just as soon as I get my money, I won't have to rustle this a-way.
1955 Times 10 May 5/1 By the end of a wild, rustling day, more full of interest than distinction, they had increased a first innings lead of 51 to 206.
Derivatives
ˈrustlingly adv. in a manner that produces a rustling sound; so as to rustle.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > repeated sound or succession of sounds > [adverb] > rustling
rustlingly1778
1778 W. Marshall Minutes Agric. Digest 67 Do not put Hay into Stack before it be rustlingly dry.
1834 T. Medwin Angler in Wales II. 243 The blasts..howled rustlingly over the dry heather and withered grass.
1954 Life 5 July 41 Rustlingly crisp, toasted to the golden moment of flavor.
2005 W. Hutchings Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot 8 Hearing ‘dead voices,’ which speak simultaneously, rustlingly, each endlessly murmuring to itself about its life.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2011; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.a1387adj.1565