Word Study
riff
WORDNET DICTIONARY
Noun riff has 2 senses
- riff(n = noun.person) riffian - a Berber living in northern Morocco; Array is a kind of berber
- riff(n = noun.communication) Array - a jazz ostinato; usually provides a background for a solo improvisation; Array is a kind of ostinato
Derived form verb riff2
Verb riff has 2 senses
- riff(v = verb.perception) flick, flip, leaf, riffle, thumb - look through a book or other written material; "He thumbed through the report"; "She leafed through the volume" is one way to peruse
- riff(v = verb.creation) Array - play riffs; Array is one way to play, spiel
Sample sentence:
Somebody ----s PP
Derived form noun riff2
Sample sentence:
Somebody ----s
OXFORD DICTIONARY
riff, n. & v.
--n. a short repeated phrase in jazz etc.
--v.intr. play riffs.
--n. a short repeated phrase in jazz etc.
--v.intr. play riffs.
Etymology
20th c.: abbr. of RIFFLE n.
For further exploring for "riff" in Webster Dictionary Online
