rustle

1 of 2

verb

rus·​tle ˈrə-səl 

rustled; rustling ˈrə-s(ə-)liŋ 

intransitive verb

1

: to make or cause a rustle

2

a

: to act or move with energy or speed

b

: to forage food

3

: to steal cattle

transitive verb

1

: to cause to rustle

2

a

: to obtain by one's own exertions

—often used with up

able to rustle up $5,000 bail

—Jack McCallum

b

: forage

3

: to steal (livestock) especially from a farm or ranch

rustle

2 of 2

noun

: a quick succession or confusion of small sounds

Synonyms

Verb

• browse
• forage
• graze
• pasture

Examples of rustle in a Sentence

Verb

The trees rustled in the wind.

Her skirt rustled as she walked.

He rustled the papers on his desk.

Noun

He heard a rustle of leaves behind him.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Their main concern is theft and while EID cannot help reduce cattle rustling (not as well as branding does), branding does little to assist tracing of cattle if a disease situation arises. —Patrick Skerrett, STAT, 18 May 2024

The audience, too, listened attentively without coughing or rustling as sound slowly ebbed away, giving Allen-Bradley Hall the mien of a cathedral. —Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 18 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English rustelen

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1624, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing rustle

• rustle up

Kids Definition

rustle

1 of 2 verb

rus·​tle ˈrəs-əl 

rustled; rustling ˈrəs-(ə-)liŋ 

1

: to make or cause to make a rustle

2

: to act or move with energy

3

: to steal (as cattle) from the range

rustler

ˈrəs-(ə-)lər 

noun

rustle

2 of 2 noun

: a quick series of small sounds

the rustle of leaves