kerfuffle
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ker·fuf·fle
(kûr-fŭf′əl)n. Informal
A to-do or fuss: "Among the oldest corpses from which readable DNA has been extracted is a Neanderthal man. Imagine the kerfuffle if somebody managed to clone him" (Richard Dawkins).
[Scots, variant of curfuffle : cur-, intensive pref. (from Scots Gaelic car, twist, turn about, from Old Irish cor, a turn; see sker- in Indo-European roots) + fuffle, put into disorder (of imitative origin).]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
kerfuffle
(kəˈfʌfəl) ,carfuffle
orkurfuffle
n
informal chiefly Brit commotion; disorder; agitation
vb
(tr) Scot to put into disorder or disarray; ruffle or disarrange
[from Scottish curfuffle, carfuffle, from Scottish Gaelic car twist, turn + fuffle to disarrange]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
kerfuffle
Past participle: kerfuffled
Gerund: kerfuffling
Imperative |
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kerfuffle |
kerfuffle |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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Noun | 1. | kerfuffle - a disorderly outburst or tumult; "they were amazed by the furious disturbance they had caused" disorder - a disturbance of the peace or of public order earthquake - a disturbance that is extremely disruptive; "selling the company caused an earthquake among the employees" incident - a public disturbance; "the police investigated an incident at the bus station" stir, splash - a prominent or sensational but short-lived news event; "he made a great splash and then disappeared" tempest, storm - a violent commotion or disturbance; "the storms that had characterized their relationship had died away"; "it was only a tempest in a teapot" storm center, storm centre - a center of trouble or disturbance |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.