rustle

rustle

English

Etymology

From Middle English rustelen, russelen, of uncertain origin, but probably from Old English hrūxlian, hristlan, hrystlan, hristlian (“to make a noise”). Compare also Scots reesle (“to crackle; rattle; rustle”), West Frisian risselje, Dutch ritselen (“to rustle”), German rascheln (“to rustle”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɹʌsəl/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʌsəl
• Homophone: Russell

Noun

rustle (plural rustles)

Examples
The rustle of paper (file)

1. A soft crackling sound similar to the movement of dry leaves.
   • 1994, Stephen Fry, chapter 2, in The Hippopotamus:

     He heard the silken rustle of a dressing-gown being drawn on.

2. A movement producing such a sound.

Translations

soft crackling sound

Arabic: حَفِيف‎ m (ḥafīf) Armenian: սոսափ (hy) (sosapʿ), սոսափյուն (hy) (sosapʿyun) Bulgarian: шумолене (bg) n (šumolene) Czech: šustot m Dutch: geritsel (nl), ritselen (nl) Finnish: kahina (fi) French: bruissement (fr) m, froufrou (fr) m German: Rascheln n, Rauschen (de) n, Knistern n Hebrew: אִוְשָׁה‎ (he) f (ivshá) Icelandic: skrjáf n, þrusk n Korean : 부스럭 (ko) (buseureok), 바스락 (ko) (baseurak) Maori: ngaehe, wawara, ngahehe Persian: شرفه‎ (fa) (šarfe) Polish: szelest (pl) m Portuguese: farfalhar (pt) m Romanian: freamăt (ro), foșnire (ro) f Russian: ше́лест (ru) m (šélest), шурша́ние (ru) n (šuršánije), шо́рох (ru) m (šórox) Serbo-Croatian: Cyrillic: шушкање n Roman: šuškanje n Spanish: crujido (es) Tagalog: kulos Turkish: hışırtı (tr) Ukrainian: шелест (uk) m (šelest), шарудіння n (šarudinnja) Vietnamese: lao xao (vi)

Verb

rustle (third-person singular simple present rustles, present participle rustling, simple past and past participle rustled)

1. (ergative) To move (something) with a soft crackling sound.
   • 1877, Anna Sewell, “Chapter 22”, in Black Beauty: […], London: Jarrold and Sons, […], OCLC 228733457:

     The next day at three o'clock we were again at the door, and the footmen as before; we heard the silk dress rustle, and the lady came down the steps and in an imperious voice, she said, "York, you must put those horses' heads higher, they are not fit to be seen."

2. (transitive) To make or obtain in a lively, energetic way.

   Synonym: rustle up

   • 1921, William M. McCoy, The Valley of the Sun (page 48)

     When at last the lumber was piled again in its rightful place, and the boxes of food had been returned to the shelter from which they had been stolen, the two friends rustled a meal, and then set off on horseback […]

3. (transitive) To steal (cattle or other livestock).

Translations

to move (something) with a soft crackling sound

Bulgarian: шумоля (bg) (šumolja) Czech: šustit Dutch: ritselen (nl), ruisen (nl) French: froufrouter (fr) German: rascheln (de), rauschen (de), knistern (de) Icelandic: skrjáfa Italian: crepitare (it) Maori: kikihi, tihitihi, rorowhio (of the wind), oraora, wara, wawara, ngaehe, ngahehe Polish: szeleścić (pl) Portuguese: farfalhar (pt) Romanian: foșni (ro) Russian: шелесте́ть (ru) (šelestétʹ), шурша́ть (ru) (šuršátʹ) Serbo-Croatian: Cyrillic: шуштање, шушкање n Roman: šuštanje, šuškanje n Turkish: hışırdamak (tr) Ukrainian: шелестіти (šelestity), шарудіти (šarudity)

to move speedily

to steal cattle or other livestock

Bulgarian: крада добитък (krada dobitǎk) Czech: krást dobytek impf Finnish: varastaa (fi) Maori: tāhae kau (refers to cattle), tāhae hipi (refers to sheep) Russian: уводи́ть (ru) (uvodítʹ)

Derived terms

• rustler
• rustle up

See also

• abigeat

Anagrams

• Luster, Ulster, lurest, luster, lustre, luters, result, rulest, sutler, truels, ulster