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

I did as I was told, listening to the squeak of hangers on the rack while Miss Lacey riffled through the clothes.

From Literature

Out of bed, I riffle through my handbag until I come up with my notes from the pension bureau, scanning over them, looking for something to quiet my brain.

From Literature

Will film and television never tire of riffling through the bones of dead Kennedys?

From Los Angeles Times

She carried with her a binder stuffed with papers and riffled through them until she found the one she was looking for.

From Literature

A gentle rush distracted me as raindrops riffled the surface of the lake.

From Literature