ripple
English
Etymology 1
From an alteration of rimple.
Noun
ripple (plural ripples)
- A moving disturbance, or undulation, in the surface of a fluid.
- I dropped a small stone into the pond and watched the ripples spread.
- The ebbing tide had left ripples in the sand.
- A sound similar to that of undulating water.
- A style of ice cream in which flavors have been coarsely blended together.
- I enjoy fudge ripple ice cream, but I especially like to dig through the carton to get at the ripple part and eat only that.
- (electronics) A small oscillation of an otherwise steady signal.
Translations
|
|
|
|
Verb
ripple (third-person singular simple present ripples, present participle rippling, simple past and past participle rippled)
- To move like the undulating surface of a body of water; to undulate.
- To propagate like a moving wave.
- 2008, Bradley Simpson, Economists with Guns, page 65:
- These problems were complicated by a foreign exchange crunch which rippled through the economy in 1961-1962, [...].
- 2008, Bradley Simpson, Economists with Guns, page 65:
- To make a sound as of water running gently over a rough bottom, or the breaking of ripples on the shore.
Translations
|
Etymology 2
From Middle English *ripelen, repulen, equivalent to rip + -le (frequentative suffix).
Verb
ripple (third-person singular simple present ripples, present participle rippling, simple past and past participle rippled)
Etymology 3
Compare Low German Repel, Dutch repel, German Riffel, extended forms (with instrumental or diminutive -le) of Low German Repe (“ripple”), Dutch repe (“ripple”). Compare also Dutch repen, German reffen, Swedish repa (“to beat; ripple”).
The verb is from Middle English ripplen, rypelen. Compare Low German repelen, Dutch repelen, German riffeln.
Alternative forms
- reeple, riple
Noun
ripple (plural ripples)
- An implement, with teeth like those of a comb, for removing the seeds and seed vessels from flax, broom corn, etc.