ripple

verb (used without object), rip·pled, rip·pling.

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.

verb (used with object), rip·pled, rip·pling.

5. to form small waves or undulations on; agitate lightly.
6. to mark as if with ripples; give a wavy form to.

noun

7. a small wave or undulation, as on water.
8. any similar movement or appearance; a small undulation or wave, as in hair.
9. a small rapid.
10. Geology. ripple mark.
11. a sound, as of water flowing in ripples: a ripple of laughter.

noun

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

verb (used with object), rip·pled, rip·pling.

2. to remove the seeds or capsules from (flax or hemp) with a ripple.

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 ripplesa ripple of laughter
4. electronics an oscillation of small amplitude superimposed on a steady value
5. US and Canadian another word for riffle (def. 4)
6. another word for ripple mark

verb

7. (intr) to form ripples or flow with a rippling or undulating motion
8. (tr) to stir up (water) so as to form ripples
9. (tr) to make ripple marks
10. (intr) (of sounds) to rise and fall gentlyher laughter rippled through the air

noun

1. a special kind of comb designed to separate the seed from the stalks in flax, hemp, or broomcorn

verb

2. (tr) to comb with this tool

v.

early 15c., “to crease;” 1660s, “to present a ruffled surface,” of unknown origin, perhaps a frequentative of rip (v.). Transitive sense “cause to ripple” is from 1786. Related: Rippled; rippling.

n.

“very small wave,” 1798, from earlier meaning “stretch of shallow, rippling water” (1755), from ripple (v.). Meaning “mark or movement suggestive of a ripple” is from 1843. Meaning “ice cream streaked with colored syrup” first attested 1939, so called from its appearance. As the name of a brand of inexpensive wine sold by E&J Gallo Winery, from 1960 to 1984. Ripple effect is from 1950.