Definitions for riffleˈrɪf əl

rif•fleˈrɪf əl(v.; n.)-fled, -fling

(v.t.)to flip hastily with the fingers; flutter:
to riffle papers.
to shuffle (cards) by dividing a deck in two, raising the corners of the cards slightly, and allowing them to fall alternately together.
Category: Games
to cause a ripple in or upon.
(v.i.)to become riffled; flutter or ripple; move in ripples.
(n.)a rapid, as in a stream.
a ripple, as upon the surface of water.
the act or method of riffling cards.

1630–40; perh.b. ripple and ruffle1

ripple, rippling, riffle, wavelet(noun)
a small wave on the surface of a liquid
riffle(verb)
shuffling by splitting the pack and interweaving the two halves at their corners
flick, ruffle, riffle(verb)
twitch or flutter
"the paper flicked"
flick, flip, thumb, riffle, leaf, riff(verb)
look through a book or other written material
"He thumbed through the report"; "She leafed through the volume"
ripple, ruffle, riffle, cockle, undulate(verb)
stir up (water) so as to form ripples
riffle(verb)
shuffle (playing cards) by separating the deck into two parts and riffling with the thumbs so the cards intermix

riffle(Noun)
A fast-flowing, shallow part of a stream causing broken water.
riffle(Noun)
A succession of small waves.
riffle(Noun)
A trough or sluice having cleats, grooves, or steps across the bottom for holding quicksilver and catching particles of gold when auriferous earth is washed. Also one of the cleats, grooves or steps in such trough.
riffle(Noun)
A quick skim through the pages of a book.
riffle(Noun)
The act of shuffling cards; the sound made while shuffling cards.
riffle(Verb)
To flow over a fast moving shallow part of a stream.
riffle(Verb)
To ruffle with a rippling action.
riffle(Verb)
To skim or flick through the pages of a book.
riffle(Verb)
To leaf through rapidly.
riffle(Verb)
To shuffle playing cards by separating the deck in two and sliding the thumbs along the edges of the cards to mix the two parts.
riffle(Verb)
To idly manipulate objects with the fingers.
riffle(Verb)
To prepare samples of material using a riffler.

Origin: Possible alteration of ruffle, from ruffelen, akin to

Riffle(noun)
a trough or sluice having cleats, grooves, or steps across the bottom for holding quicksilver and catching particles of gold when auriferous earth is washed; also, one of the cleats, grooves, or steps in such a trough. Also called ripple

Citation

"riffle." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2013. Web. 24 May 2013. <http://www.definitions.net/definition/riffle>.