shuffle

¹shuf·fle

verb \ˈshə-fəl\

shuf·fledshuf·fling\-f(ə-)liŋ\

Definition of SHUFFLE

transitive verb

1

: to mix in a mass confusedly : jumble

2

: to put or thrust aside or under cover <shuffled the whole matter out of his mind>

3

a : to rearrange (as playing cards, dominoes, or tiles) to produce a random order b : to move about, back and forth, or from one place to another : shift <shuffle funds among various accounts>

4

a : to move (as the feet) by sliding along or back and forth without lifting b : to perform (as a dance) with a dragging, sliding step

intransitive verb

1

: to work into or out of trickily <shuffled out of the difficulty>

2

: to act or speak in a shifty or evasive manner

3

a : to move or walk in a sliding dragging manner without lifting the feet b : to dance in a lazy nonchalant manner with sliding and tapping motions of the feet c : to execute in a perfunctory or clumsy manner

4

: to mix playing cards or counters by shuffling

— shuf·fler \-f(ə-)lər\ noun

Examples of SHUFFLE

1. He shuffled across the floor.
2. She stood there, shuffling her feet, waiting for the bus to arrive.
3. She shuffled the papers on her desk.
4. The manager shuffled the batting order.
5. Whose turn is it to shuffle and deal?

Origin of SHUFFLE

perhaps irregular from ¹shove

First Known Use: 1570

Related to SHUFFLE

Synonyms: barge, clomp, clump, flog [British], flounder, galumph, lump, plod, pound, scuff, scuffle, shamble, lumber, slog, slough, stamp, stomp, stumble, stump, tramp, tromp, trudge

Antonyms: breeze, coast, glide, slide, waltz, whisk

Related Words: drag, flop, haul; blunder, careen, dodder, lurch, reel, stagger, sway, teeter, totter, waddle, weave, wobble (also wabble)

Near Antonyms: drift, float, hang, hover, poise, waft

see all synonyms and antonyms

[+]more[-]hide

Rhymes with SHUFFLE

duffel, muffle, ruffle, scuffle, snuffle, truffle