riffle

American  

[rif-uhl] / ˈrɪf əl /

verb (used with or without object)

riffled, riffling

1. to turn hastily; flutter and shift.

   to riffle a stack of letters; to riffle through a book.

2. Cards. to shuffle by dividing the deck in two, raising the corners slightly, and allowing them to fall alternately together.

3. to cause or become a riffle.

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noun

1. a rapid, as in a stream.

2. a ripple, as upon the surface of water.

3. Mining. the lining of transverse bars or slats on the bed of a sluice, arranged so as to catch heavy minerals, as gold or platinum.

4. a hopper for distributing bulk material.

5. the act or method of riffling cards.

riffle British  

/ ˈrɪfəl /

verb

1. to flick rapidly through (the pages of a book, magazine, etc), esp in a desultory manner

2. to shuffle (playing cards) by halving the pack and flicking the adjacent corners together

3. to make or become a riffle

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noun

1. 1. a rapid in a stream

   2. a rocky shoal causing a rapid

   3. a ripple on water

2. mining a contrivance on the bottom of a sluice, containing transverse grooves for trapping particles of gold

3. the act or an instance of riffling

Other Word Forms

• unriffled
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of riffle

1630–40; blend of ripple ¹ and ruffle ¹

Example Sentences

The Ada County Coroner Richard Riffle said in a news release Tuesday that Eli Nash was pronounced dead in a parking lot Monday evening after attempts to save his life were unsuccessful.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 24, 2023

Riffle said the cause and manner of Nash’s death was still pending.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 24, 2023

In running back Jack Riffle the top-seeded Tigers will trust.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 2, 2021

Mark Riffle, who came to the rally undecided, said he found Patrick impressive.

From Fox News • Jan. 21, 2020

Latterly there had been Riffle and then Josephus to behold, and the former to marvel.

From Antony Gray,—Gardener by Moore, Leslie