Usage of The Word "ruff" Vs. "trump"
"Ruff" is normally a verb, meaning "to play a trump card when a non-trump suit was led". "To trump" can be used as a synonym of "to ruff", but "ruff" is normally preferred, for clarity. As a noun, "ruff" and "trump" are completely different -- "a ruff" means only "an instance of ruffing", while "(a) trump" means only "the suit that outranks all other suits", or "a card in this suit". Hence:
- One can "give a ruff" to partner but not "give a trump".
- "Hearts are trumps" but not "Hearts are ruffs".
- "Cross ruffing" and "cross trumping" are both correct, but "cross ruffing" is preferred.
- "Ruff and discard" is common usage but "trump and discard" is not.
Read more about this topic: Ruff (cards)
Famous quotes containing the words usage of the, usage of, usage, word, ruff and/or trump:
“Girls who put out are tramps. Girls who don’t are ladies. This is, however, a rather archaic usage of the word. Should one of you boys happen upon a girl who doesn’t put out, do not jump to the conclusion that you have found a lady. What you have probably found is a lesbian.”
—Fran Lebowitz (b. 1951)
“Pythagoras, Locke, Socrates—but pages
Might be filled up, as vainly as before,
With the sad usage of all sorts of sages,
Who in his life-time, each was deemed a bore!
The loftiest minds outrun their tardy ages.”
—George Gordon Noel Byron (1788–1824)
“...Often the accurate answer to a usage question begins, “It depends.” And what it depends on most often is where you are, who you are, who your listeners or readers are, and what your purpose in speaking or writing is.”
—Kenneth G. Wilson (b. 1923)
“Like two doomed ships that pass in storm
We had crossed each other’s way:
But we made no sign, we said no word,
We had no word to say;”
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900)
“My great brother
Lord of the Song
wears the ruff of
forest bear.”
—Denise Levertov (b. 1923)
“If there was one egg in it there were nine,
Torpedo-like, with shell of gritty leather,
All packed in sand to wait the trump together.”
—Robert Frost (1874–1963)