51Թ

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View synonyms for

ripple

1

[ rip-uhl ]

verb (used without object)

rippled, rippling.
  1. (of a liquid surface) to form small waves or undulations, as water agitated by a breeze.

    Synonyms: , ,

  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.


verb (used with object)

rippled, rippling.
  1. to form small waves or undulations on; agitate lightly.

    Synonyms: , ,

  2. to mark as if with ripples; give a wavy form to.

noun

  1. a small wave or undulation, as on water.

    Synonyms: ,

  2. any similar movement or appearance; a small undulation or wave, as in hair.
  3. a small rapid.
  4. Geology. ripple mark.
  5. a sound, as of water flowing in ripples:

    a ripple of laughter.

ripple

2

[ rip-uhl ]

noun

  1. a toothed or comblike device for removing seeds or capsules from flax, hemp, etc.

verb (used with object)

rippled, rippling.
  1. to remove the seeds or capsules from (flax or hemp) with a ripple.

ripple

1

/ ˈɪə /

noun

  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. electronics an oscillation of small amplitude superimposed on a steady value
  5. another word for riffle
  6. another word for ripple mark
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. intr to form ripples or flow with a rippling or undulating motion
  2. tr to stir up (water) so as to form ripples
  3. tr to make ripple marks
  4. intr (of sounds) to rise and fall gently

    her laughter rippled through the air

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

ripple

2

/ ˈɪə /

noun

  1. a special kind of comb designed to separate the seed from the stalks in flax, hemp, or broomcorn
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. tr to comb with this tool
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈ, noun
  • ˈԲ, adverb
  • ˈ, adjective
  • ˈԲ, adjective
  • ˈ, noun
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Other 51Թ Forms

  • p· adjective
  • pԲ· adverb
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of ripple1

First recorded in 1610–20; origin uncertain

Origin of ripple2

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English; cognate with West Frisian ripel, Dutch repel, German Riffel
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of ripple1

C17: perhaps from rip 1

Origin of ripple2

C14: of Germanic origin; compare Middle Dutch repelen , Middle High German reffen to ripple
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Synonym Study

See wave.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Most movies about school shootings, including “Elephant,” “Mass” and “The Fallout,” tackle the shock, sorrow and horror that ripple through communities.

From

So, when the ripples of economic distress start spreading from country to country, it could have potentially catastrophic consequences for all trade.

From

Global stock markets have fallen as investors reacted amid fears of inflation, but beyond the wider economic turmoil, how else could the ripples of a trade war affect the world of sport?

From

Their initial focus is on the Palisades, but the plan is for that to be the original project that can ripple around the entire Los Angeles area.

From

“It has a sort of ripple effect on almost all of the relationships in my life, including my husband and my kids.”

From

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More About Ripple

What doesripple mean?

A ripple is a small wave, ruffle, or wrinkle on the surface of something, such as water, fabric, clouds, or hair.

A raindrop causes ripples in a puddle. A soft gust of wind can cause ripples on the surface of a lake, on the surface of a sheet hanging from a clothesline, or through the tall grasses in the meadow. Ripples aren’t typically breaks in the surface where they appear—they are disturbances that change its shape momentarily.

The word can also be applied to waves or wrinkles involving intangible or abstract things, such as ripples of cause and effect. Much like the ripples that result from tossing a stone into a pond, one action causes many other things to happen in a kind of chain reaction known as a ripple effect.

Ripple can also refer to a cascading sound, like that of rippling water, as in a ripple of laughter.

More specifically, ripple can refer to a swirl of a particular ingredient in ice cream, such as caramel or chocolate. There are even some flavors whose name indicates what the ripple consists of, such as butterscotch ripple.

Ripple is also used as a verb meaning to form or cause such waves, ruffles, or wrinkles, as in The wind rippled the surface of the river. It can also mean to gently flow or rise and fall.

Things with ripples in them can be described as rippled or ripply.

Example: I like to throw rocks into the still pond and see how far the ripples extend out.

Where doesripple come from?

The first records of the word ripple in reference to small waves or wrinkles come from the 1600s. It may derive from the verb rip, but its origin is uncertain.

The ripples that appear in a flat surface of water when you throw a pebble into it are often used as a metaphor for the effects of our actions in life—the ones that extend out beyond where we can observe them. Relatedly, reality is sometimes depicted as “fabric” that can be effected and rippled in this way.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms of ripple?

  • rippling (continuous tense verb, adjective)
  • ripply (adjective)

What are some synonyms for ripple?

What are some words that share a root or word element with ripple?

What are some words that often get used in discussing ripple?

How isripple used in real life?

The word ripple is most commonly used in the context of small waves on surfaces like water, but it can be used in many different situations.

Try usingripple!

On which of the following things can ripples sometimes be found?

A. water
B. fabric
C. clouds
D. all of the above

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