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shuf·fle (shŭfəl)
Share:
v. shuf·fled, shuf·fling, shuf·fles
v.intr.
1. To move with short sliding steps, without or barely lifting the feet: The crowd shuffled out of the theater.
2. To dance casually with sliding and tapping steps.
3. To shift from position to position or move from place to place: shuffled around looking for work.
4. To present, play, or display (music or video files) in random order.
5. Games To mix playing cards, tiles, or dominoes together so as to make their order random.
6. Archaic To act in a shifty or deceitful manner; equivocate.
v.tr.
1. To slide (the feet) along the floor or ground while walking.
2. To move (things, for example) from one place or position to another; transfer or shift: shuffle around the cushions on the couch.
3. To put quickly or furtively; shunt: shuffled the bill under a pile of junk mail.
4. To present, play, or display music or video files in random order.
5. Games To mix together (playing cards or tiles, for example) so as to make a random order of arrangement.
n.
1. A short sliding step or movement, or a walk characterized by such steps.
2. A dance in which the feet slide along or move close to the floor.
3. A confused mixture or state of things; a jumble: The letter got lost in the shuffle.
4. A feature on a music or video player that plays music or other files in a random order.
5. Games
a. An act of shuffling cards, dominoes, or tiles.
b. A player's right or turn to do this.
6. Archaic An evasive or deceitful action; an equivocation.
Phrasal Verb:
shuffle off
1. To get rid of; dispose of.
2. To evade or shirk (a responsibility, for example).
3. Informal To leave; depart.
[Middle English shovelen, probably of Middle Dutch or Middle Low German origin.]
shuffler n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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