border ruffian

American  

[bawr-der ruhf-ee-uhn] / ˈbɔr dər ˈrʌf i ən /

noun

border ruffians plural

1. U.S. History. Often, Border Ruffian. any of a group of criminal proslavery activists of Missouri who crossed into Kansas in order to intimidate, attack, rob, and sometimes murder opponents of slavery and to vote fraudulently in elections in an effort to defeat antislavery settlers there.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• border ruffians
  plural

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

border ruffian

It happened that stout service had been rendered her in this affair by the arrogant border ruffian, the Earl of Bothwell.

From The Historical Nights' Entertainment First Series by Sabatini, Rafael

The clergyman was only a stripling beside this seasoned border ruffian.

From Analyzing Character by Blackford, Katherine M. H.

The rugged hunter looked at the big malformed border ruffian with repulsion.

From Man Size by Raine, William MacLeod

I am from Kansas—that's true; and was a soldier and a scout in the Union army," said I; "and I was in Kansas during the border ruffian war of 1856.

From The Life of Hon. William F. Cody Known as Buffalo Bill the Famous Hunter, Scout and Guide by Buffalo Bill

Quantrell was, however, a mere border ruffian and was disowned by the Confederate army.

From Abroad at Home American Ramblings, Observations, and Adventures of Julian Street by Street, Julian