RUFFIAN in a Sentence

Learn RUFFIAN from example sentences; some of them are from classic books. These examples are selected from a corpus with 300,000 sentences, including classic works and current mainstream media. Some sentences also link to their contexts.

51 example sentences for RUFFIAN, such as:

1. The ruffian threw stones at the police.
2. After this stage, he had turned ruffian.
3. It was a straight left against a slogging ruffian.
4. Thenardier was a ruffian in the eyes of all the world except Marius.
5. The ruffian threatened to run his victim through if he did not hand over all his money.

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 Meanings and Examples of RUFFIAN
Definition Example Sentence Classic Sentence
ruffian
 n.  bully; lawless and cruel; cruel and brutal person or gangster
Classic Sentence: (49 in 4 pages)
1  None of your mistering,' replied the ruffian; 'you always mean mischief when you come that.
Oliver Twist By Charles Dickens
Context  Highlight   In CHAPTER XIII
2  Upon it, in lieu of the dogged, black-visaged ruffian they had expected to behold, there lay a mere child: worn with pain and exhaustion, and sunk into a deep sleep.
Oliver Twist By Charles Dickens
Context  Highlight   In CHAPTER XXX
3  Sikes knew too much, and his ruffian taunts had not galled Fagin the less, because the wounds were hidden.
Oliver Twist By Charles Dickens
Context  Highlight   In CHAPTER XLIV
4  I clambered out upon the sill, but I hesitated to jump until I should have heard what passed between my saviour and the ruffian who pursued me.
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes By Arthur Conan Doyle
Context  Highlight   In IX. THE ADVENTURE OF THE ENGINEER’S THUMB
5  Indeed, it was almost mesmeric, the effect which this giggling ruffian had produced upon the unfortunate linguist, for he could not speak of him save with trembling hands and a blanched cheek.
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes By Arthur Conan Doyle
Context  Highlight   In X. The Adventure of The Greek Interpreter
6  It was a straight left against a slogging ruffian.
The Return of Sherlock Holmes By Arthur Conan Doyle
Context  Highlight   In IV. THE ADVENTURE OF THE SOLITARY CYCLIST
7  The ruffian Woodley was a very different person, but, except on one occasion, he had not molested our client, and now he visited the house of Carruthers without intruding upon her presence.
The Return of Sherlock Holmes By Arthur Conan Doyle
Context  Highlight   In IV. THE ADVENTURE OF THE SOLITARY CYCLIST
8  Then he raised his revolver and covered the young ruffian, who was advancing upon him with his dangerous riding-crop swinging in his hand.
The Return of Sherlock Holmes By Arthur Conan Doyle
Context  Highlight   In IV. THE ADVENTURE OF THE SOLITARY CYCLIST
9  What we pay rates and taxes for I don't know, when any ruffian can come in and break one's goods.
The Return of Sherlock Holmes By Arthur Conan Doyle
Context  Highlight   In VIII. THE ADVENTURE OF THE SIX NAPOLEONS
10  After this stage, he had turned ruffian.
Les Misérables 3 By Victor Hugo
Context  Highlight   In BOOK 7: CHAPTER III—BABET, GUEULEMER, CLAQUESOUS, AND MONTPARNASS...
11  The ruffian who had gone with her made his appearance behind her and picked up his axe again.
Les Misérables 3 By Victor Hugo
Context  Highlight   In BOOK 8: CHAPTER XX—THE TRAP
12  Every moment the vigorous and agile young ruffian indulged in the twitchings of a wild beast caught in a snare.
Les Misérables 4 By Victor Hugo
Context  Highlight   In BOOK 4: CHAPTER II—MOTHER PLUTARQUE FINDS NO DIFFICULTY IN EXPLAI...
13  Thenardier was a ruffian in the eyes of all the world except Marius.
Les Misérables 5 By Victor Hugo
Context  Highlight   In BOOK 5: CHAPTER VIII—TWO MEN IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND
14  I shall watch over your departure, you ruffian, and at that moment I will count out to you twenty thousand francs.
Les Misérables 5 By Victor Hugo
Context  Highlight   In BOOK 9: CHAPTER IV—A BOTTLE OF INK WHICH ONLY SUCCEEDED IN WHITEN...
15  How could Melly have been so--so-- Well, there was no word for Melanie's action in taking in this old ruffian and not telling her friends he was a jailbird.
Gone With The Wind By Margaret Mitche
Context  Highlight   In CHAPTER XLII
Example Sentence:
1  The ruffian threw stones at the police.
2  The ruffian threatened to run his victim through if he did not hand over all his money.