ruddle

American  

[ruhd-l] / ˈrʌd l /

noun

1. a red variety of ocher, used for marking sheep, coloring, etc.

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verb (used with object)

ruddled, ruddling

1. to mark or color with ruddle.

ruddle British  

/ ˈrʌdəl /

noun

1. a red ochre, used esp to mark sheep

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verb

1. (tr) to mark (sheep) with ruddle

Other Word Forms

• unruddled
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of ruddle

1530–40; dial. rud ( see rudd) + -le

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ruddle ruddled ruddling

They daub their bodies with a red earth, like the ruddle used in England for marking sheep.

From Narrative of the surveying voyages of His Majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle, between the years 1826 and 1836 Volume I. - Proceedings of the First Expedition, 1826-1830 by Robert Fitzroy

He rubbed the edge with ruddle, and, placing the millstaff on the stone, turned it about on its shorter axis: where the ruddle left its red mark more pecking would be required.

From Round About a Great Estate by Richard Jefferies

Page 22, line 20. rubrica fabrili: in English ruddle or reddle.

From On the magnet, magnetick bodies also, and on the great magnet the earth a new physiology, demonstrated by many arguments & experiments by William Gilbert

They revolted in 363-362, but were reduced again, and the Athenians established a monopoly of the ruddle, or red earth, which was one of the most valuable products of the island.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 6 "Celtes, Konrad" to "Ceramics" by Various

For my share of disguising, I now rubbed together some ruddle and dry soil, and the mixture gave a necessary touch of coarseness to her hands.

From The Yeoman Adventurer by George W. Gough

"I'll be rid o' that ruddled sack o' lollypops now," observed Lord Dunmore, complacently.

From Cardigan by Robert W. (Robert William) Chambers

A faint tartness, the somewhat musty odour of old country houses, ascended from the tiled and ruddled floor that glistened like a mirror.

From Abbe Mouret's Transgression by Émile Zola

Even to-day those ruddled drawings can set a spell.

From Highways and Byways in Surrey by Hugh Thomson

The pock-marked rascal is lying quiet on the ruddled bricks at the foot of the stairs.

From Despair's Last Journey by David Christie Murray

The slatternly bedchamber, with its red turkey twill window-curtains and cheap gaudy wallpaper, which had belonged to the ruddled woman with the bleached hair, was a palace to the little one.

From The Dop Doctor by Richard Dehan

Three hundred pistoles!" he echoed; "for ruddling the blades and risking the lives of nine of the finest swordsmen in Europe?

From The Duke's Motto A Melodrama by Justin H. (Justin Huntly) McCarthy

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