ripple

Meanings

Noun

• A moving disturbance, or undulation, in the surface of a fluid.
• A sound similar to that of undulating water.
• A style of ice cream in which flavors have been coarsely blended together.
• A small oscillation of an otherwise steady signal.
• An implement, with teeth like those of a comb, for removing the seeds and seed vessels from flax, broom corn, etc.

Verb

• To move like the undulating surface of a body of water; to undulate.
• To propagate like a moving wave.
• To make a sound as of water running gently over a rough bottom, or the breaking of ripples on the shore.
• To shape into a series of ripples.
• To launch or unleash in rapid succession.
• To scratch, tear, or break slightly; graze
• To remove the seeds from (the stalks of flax, etc.), by means of a ripple.

Origin

• From an alteration of rimple.
• From Middle English *ripelen, repulen, equivalent to rip + -le.
• Compare German Low German Repel, Dutch repel, German Riffel, extended forms (with instrumental or diminutive -le) of Low German Repe, Dutch repe. 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.