To ruffle excessively, to the degree of causing something to lose its proper form or shape; ruffle up
She plumes her feathers, and lets grow her wings / That in the various bustle of resort / Were all toruffl'd, and sometimes impair'd — John Milton, Comus.
If a bird ruffles its feathers or if its feathers ruffle, they stand out on its body, for example when it is cleaning itself or when it is frightened. Tame birds, when approached, will stretch out their necks and ruffle their neck feathering Its body plumage suddenly began to ruffle and swell
Ruffles are folds of cloth at the neck or the ends of the arms of a piece of clothing, or are sometimes sewn on things as a decoration. a white blouse with ruffles at the neck and cuffs
If something ruffles someone, it causes them to panic and lose their confidence or to become angry or upset. I could tell that my refusal to allow him to ruffle me infuriated him
If you ruffle someone's hair, you move your hand backwards and forwards through it as a way of showing your affection towards them. `Don't let that get you down,' he said ruffling Ben's dark curls
To ruffle someone's feathers means to cause them to become very angry, nervous, or upset. His direct, often abrasive approach will doubtless ruffle a few feathers. a band of thin cloth sewn in folds as a decoration around the edge of something such as a collar
pleat or gather into a ruffle; "ruffle the curtain fabric" disturb the smoothness of; "ruffle the surface of the water" erect or fluff up; "the bird ruffled its feathers" trouble or vex; "ruffle somebody's composure" discompose; "This play is going to ruffle some people"; "She has a way of ruffling feathers among her colleagues
That which is ruffled; specifically, a strip of lace, cambric, or other fine cloth, plaited or gathered on one edge or in the middle, and used as a trimming; a frill