shuffles
|shuf-fles|
🇺🇸
/ˈʃʌfəl/
🇬🇧
/ˈʃʌf(ə)l/
(shuffle)
dragging or mixing
Etymology
'shuffle' originates from Middle English, specifically the word 'shufflen', where the verb was formed as a frequentative/iterative of an earlier root meaning to push or shove.
'shuffle' changed from Middle English 'shufflen' (c. 14th century), ultimately deriving from Old English roots such as 'scūfan'/'scufan' meaning 'to push' and developed into modern 'shuffle' through frequentative formation and semantic extension.
Initially, it meant 'to push or shove repeatedly' (often implying dragging the feet); over time it evolved to include the specialized sense 'to mix cards' and the broader senses 'to rearrange' or 'to walk by dragging the feet.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural of 'shuffle': more than one act of shuffling (e.g., card shuffles) or multiple small dragging steps/dance steps.
The dealer's shuffles seemed practiced and quick.
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Verb 1
third-person singular present form of 'shuffle': to mix playing cards by repeatedly splitting the deck and interleaving the parts.
He shuffles the deck before dealing.
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Verb 2
third-person singular present form of 'shuffle': to walk or move by dragging one's feet along the ground rather than lifting them fully.
She shuffles across the kitchen in her slippers.
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Verb 3
third-person singular present form of 'shuffle': to move, rearrange, or handle papers, files, or objects in a casual or disorderly way.
He shuffles the papers on his desk looking for the report.
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Last updated: 2025/12/23 20:49