ruffian
/ˈrʌfɪən
/noun
A violent person, especially one involved in crime.Well, so long as he could hide his emotions when they crossed paths with the thieves - bullies and ruffians were always drawn to the fearful....
- The tactics of the violent ruffians failed in this year's election.
- Vidocq served a lucrative apprenticeship with various ruffians, vagabonds and swindlers.
Synonyms
thug, scoundrel, villain, rogue, rascal, lout, hooligan, hoodlum, vandal, delinquent, rowdy, bully boy, bully, brute;
Australian larrikin
informal tough, bruiser, heavy, gorilla, yahoo
British informal rough, yob, yobbo, bovver boy, lager lout, chav, hoodie
Scottish & Northern English informal keelie, ned
North American informal hood, goon
Australian/New Zealand informal roughie, hoon
archaic miscreant
rare myrmidon
Derivatives
ruffianism
- And the state tolerated ruffianism so long as disorder was kept at a minimum, and its authority was not fundamentally challenged.
ruffianly
- I do apologise for my ruffianly appearance, ma'am.
- Presently the man whistled and another ruffianly person sprang out from near the gate at the corner of the Grotto-field and joined his companion.
- Such rowdy, ruffianly, and apparently motiveless violence has a much longer history than the term hooligan.
Origin
Late 15th century: from Old French ruffian, from Italian ruffiano, perhaps from dialect rofia 'scab, scurf', of Germanic origin.
This is from Old French ruffian, from Italian ruffiano, perhaps from dialect rofia ‘scab, scurf’, of Germanic origin.