ruck

¹

[ ruhk ]

noun

1. a large number or quantity; mass.
2. the great mass of undistinguished or inferior persons or things.

ruck

²

[ ruhk ]

noun

1. a fold or wrinkle; crease.

verb (used with or without object)

1. to make or become creased or wrinkled.

ruck

¹

/ rʌk /

noun

1. a wrinkle, crease, or fold

verb

1. usually foll by up to become or make wrinkled, creased, or puckered

ruck

²

/ rʌk /

noun

1. slang:prison.
   a fight

ruck

³

/ rʌk /

noun

1. slang.
   military a rucksack

ruck

⁴

/ rʌk /

noun

1. a large number or quantity; mass, esp of ordinary or undistinguished people or things
2. (in a race) a group of competitors who are well behind the leaders at the finish
3. rugby a loose scrum that forms around the ball when it is on the ground
4. Australian rules football the three players, two ruckmen and a rover, that do not have fixed positions but follow the ball closely

verb

1. intr rugby to try to win the ball by advancing over it when it is on the ground, driving opponents backward in the process

Word History and Origins

Origin of ruck¹

1175–1225; Middle English ruke, perhaps < Scandinavian; compare Norwegian ruka in same senses; akin to rick ¹

Origin of ruck²

First recorded in 1780–90, ruck is from the Old Norse word hrukka a wrinkle

Word History and Origins

Origin of ruck¹

C18: from Scandinavian; related to Old Norse hrukka

Origin of ruck²

C20: short for ruckus

Origin of ruck³

C13 (meaning ``heap of firewood''): perhaps from Scandinavian; compare Old Norse hraukr rick ¹

Example Sentences

And Scotland's part is for all of their good work, particularly at the ruck where they disrupted ball time and again, they left points out on the Murrayfield pitch.

From BBC

They then allowed Australia to get a bit of speed at the ruck - and were on the back foot.

From BBC

King was one of three players in WXV1 to hit 20 or more defensive rucks, winning four turnovers in the process.

From BBC

A second quickly followed when flanker Du Toit leapt over the ruck to expertly ground the ball after a slight juggle.

From BBC

Ross was representing Wallace High in February of 2013 when he was trapped underneath a collapsed ruck, the incident causing an injury that left the then 18-year-old paralysed from the neck down.

From BBC