rustle Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a light noise, like the noise of silk clothing or leaves blowing in the wind
    whispering; whisper; rustling.
  2. verb make a dry crackling sound
    • rustling silk
    • the dry leaves were rustling in the breeze
  3. verb take illegally
    lift.
    • rustle cattle
  4. verb forage food

WordNet

Rus"tle intransitive verb
Etymology
AS. hristlan to rustle; or cf. Sw. rusta to stir, make a riot, or E. rush, v.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Rustled ; present participle & verbal noun Rustling
Definitions
  1. To make a quick succession of small sounds, like the rubbing or moving of silk cloth or dry leaves.
    He is coming; I hear his straw rustle. Shak.
    Prouder than rustling in unpaid-for silk. Shak.
  2. To stir about energetically; to strive to succeed; to bustle about. Slang, Western U.S. To steal, esp. cattle
Rus"tle transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To cause to rustle; as, the wind rustles the leaves.
Rus"tle noun
Definitions
  1. A quick succession or confusion of small sounds, like those made by shaking leaves or straw, by rubbing silk, or the like; a rustling.
    When the noise of a torrent, the rustle of a wood, the song of birds, or the play of lambs, had power to fill the attention, and suspend all perception of the course of time. Idler.

Webster 1913