Reverse Dictionary: RUFFIAN

ADJECTIVES
1555 RUFFIANOUS like a ruffian; bold in crimes; violent, brutal → obs.
1567 CUT-THROAT murderous, ruffianly
1682 TORY-RORY ruffianly → obs.


NOUNS
..L19 MOB a gang of ruffians or thugs → sl. orig. Aust.


NOUNS, PERSON
1500 BABOON a thug, a ruffian, a ne’er-do-well
1509 BEATER a street loafer or ruffian → obs.
1535 CUTTHROAT a ruffian who murders or does deeds of violence; a murderer or assassin by profession
1551 RUSH-BUCKLER a swaggering bravo or ruffian; a noisy braggadocio
1570 BANGSTER a rough, violent fellow; a bully, a braggart, a blustering fellow; a ruffian; a thug → obs. exc. Sc.
1577 SWINGE-BUCKLER a swashbuckler; a swaggering bravo or ruffian; a noisy braggadocio → obs.
1581 HACKSTER a cut-throat; a swaggering ruffian, a swashbuckler → obs. exc. Eng. dial.
1593 RAMPALLION — RAMPALLIAN a ruffian, a villain, a scoundrel, a rogue, a knave, a rascal → obs.
..17C LAND-SHARK a ruffian, a thug → sl.
1647 — MYRMIDON a member of a gang or army adhering to a particular leader; a hired ruffian or mercenary
1696 RAFFLE-COFFIN a ruffian; a ribald fellow → sl.
..L17 CLIP-NIT a dirty ruffian → sl.
1712 HAWCUBITE one of a band of dissolute young men who infested the streets of London in the beginning of the 18th century; a street-bully, a ruffian
1712 SCAMPERER a street ruffian or thug → obs.
1730 BULLY a ruffian hired for purposes of violent or intimidation → arch.
1785 PRETTY-BOY a thug, a ruffian
1795 BANDITTO a ruffian, a desperate fellow (Bk.)
..19C RUFFINER a rough person, a ruffian; a sturdy, wayward character, savage when excited  → Eng. dial.
1814 ROUGH SCRUFF a low, coarse, rough, or disreputable person; a ruffian → orig. US
1826 BANDOG a ruffian → UK sl.
1836STRIKER a hired ruffian

1837 B’HOY a ruffian; a young rowdy; a gay or spirited fellow → colloq., orig. US
1837 ROUGH a violent person; a thug; a ruffian → sl.
1843 BADMASH one following evil courses; a bad, wicked, or disreputable fellow; a villainous man; a rascal, a scoundrel, a rogue; a hooligan, a ruffian → Anglo-Indian
.M19 SCARLET an upper-class ruffian → sl.
1856 PLUG-UGLY a violent person; a thug; a ruffian → sl., orig. US
1863 KEELIE a low or vulgar boy; a street-loafer or rough; a ruffian → Sc.
1866 TOUGH a violent person; a thug; a ruffian → sl., orig. US
1876 BASHI-BAZOUK a ruffian, a hooligan, a thug → sl.
1883 SCADGER a ruffian → Eng. dial. (Bk.)
1890 MUG a violent person; a thug; a ruffian → US sl.
1902 LAMB a ruffian armed with a bludgeon, formerly hired at election time → Eng. dial. (Bk.)
1905 ROUGHIE a violent person; a thug; a ruffian → sl.
1907 BRUISER a violent person; a thug; a ruffian → sl.
1911 ROUGH-UP a thug, a ruffian → Aust. sl.
1918 APACHE a man of ruffianly character
1918 SIWASH an uncouth ruffian → Amer. dial.
1922 YOBBO — YOBO a lout; a hooligan; an uncouth ruffian; a derogatory term used of working-class youths → UK sl.
1926 CAVEMAN a violent person; a thug; a ruffian → sl.
1927 YOB a youth who behaves in an uncouth, aggressive, or antisocial way; an uncouth ruffian; a lout, a hooligan → orig. Brit.
1935 BAD-JOHN a ruffian; a hooligan or miscreant → Caribbean
1938 HOON a violent person; a thug; a ruffian → Aust. sl.
1942 ROUGH RIDER a ruffian → US sl. (Bk.)
1953 BULLY-BOY a young ruffian; a ‘tough’
1956 TROG a violent person; a thug; a ruffian → Brit. sl.
1959 NED a violent person; a thug; a ruffian → Sc. sl.
1959 OAFO an oaf; a socially inferior fool; a large, slow-witted, clumsy person; a lout; a ruffian or hooligan  → UK sl. 
1962 DROOG a young ruffian or an accomplice or henchman of a gang-leader; a thug; a gangster→ sl.
1996 RAGAMUFFIN — RAGGAMUFFIN a hooligan, a lout; a ruffian → Black British sl.
1996 RAGGA a hooligan, a lout; a ruffian → Black British sl.
2001 GURRIER a lout, a ruffian → Ireland sl.
2003 LATCHICO a ruffian → Ireland


VERBS
1596 BERUFFIANIZE to call or stigmatize as a ruffian 
1867 — RUFFIANIZE to act as a ruffian → obs.