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⇱ ripple - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

ripple

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UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈrɪpəl/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈrɪpəl/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(rip′əl)

Inflections of 'ripple' (v): (⇒ conjugate)
ripples
v 3rd person singular
rippling
v pres p
rippled
v past
rippled
v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
rip•ple1 /ˈrɪpəl/USA pronunciation   v., -pled, -pling, n. 
v. 
  1. (of a liquid surface) to form small waves, as water when a breeze disturbs it: [no object]The water rippled in the sunlight.[~ + object]The breeze rippled the water.
  2. to (cause to) have small waves, ruffles, or folds: [no object]His muscles rippled as he lifted the load.[~ + object]rippling his muscles.
  3. (of sound) to move along with a rising and falling sound:[no object]Laughter rippled through the crowd.

n. [countable]
  1. a small wave, as on water.
  2. a movement, form, or sound similar to this:a ripple of laughter.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
rip•ple1  (rip′əl),USA pronunciation v., -pled, -pling, n. 
v.i. 
  1. (of a liquid surface) to form small waves or undulations, as water agitated by a breeze.
  2. to flow with a light rise and fall or ruffling of the surface.
  3. (of a solid surface) to form or have small undulations, ruffles, or folds.
  4. (of sound) to undulate or rise and fall in tone, inflection, or magnitude.

v.t. 
  1. to form small waves or undulations on;
    agitate lightly.
  2. to mark as if with ripples;
    give a wavy form to.

n. 
  1. a small wave or undulation, as on water.
  2. any similar movement or appearance;
    a small undulation or wave, as in hair.
  3. a small rapid.
  4. [Geol.]See ripple mark. 
  5. a sound, as of water flowing in ripples:a ripple of laughter.
  • origin, originally uncertain 1660–70
rip′ple•less, adj. 
rip′pling•ly, adv. 
    1. wave, undulate, purl. 5. ruffle, curl, dimple. 7. wavelet, ruffling. See wave. 
rip•ple2  (rip′əl),USA pronunciation n., v., -pled, -pling. 
n. 
  1. a toothed or comblike device for removing seeds or capsules from flax, hemp, etc.

v.t. 
  1. to remove the seeds or capsules from (flax or hemp) with a ripple.
  • 1425–75; late Middle English ripel; cognate with Dutch repel, German Riffel

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
ripple /ˈrɪpəl/ n
  1. a slight wave or undulation on the surface of water
  2. a small wave or undulation in fabric, hair, etc
  3. a sound reminiscent of water flowing quietly in ripples: a ripple of laughter
  4. an oscillation of small amplitude superimposed on a steady value
  5. US Canadian
    another word for riffle
  6. another word for ripple mark
 vb
  1. (intransitive) to form ripples or flow with a rippling or undulating motion
  2. (transitive) to stir up (water) so as to form ripples
  3. (transitive) to make ripple marks on
  4. (intransitive) (of sounds) to rise and fall gently
Etymology: 17th Century: perhaps from rip1
ˈrippler n ˈrippling adj ˈripply adj
ripple /ˈrɪpəl/ n
  • a special kind of comb designed to separate the seed from the stalks in flax, hemp, or broomcorn
    •  vb
    1. (transitive) to comb with this tool
    Etymology: 14th Century: of Germanic origin; compare Middle Dutch repelen, Middle High German reffen to rippleˈrippler n
    'ripple' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
    Collocations: a [tiny, small, large] ripple of water, caused a ripple in the [lake, water, pool, pond, bowl, tank], made ripples in the [lake], more...

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