Rip"ple, n. 1. The
fretting or dimpling of the surface, as of running water; little
curling waves.
2. A little wave or undulation; a sound such
as is made by little waves; as, a ripple of laughter.
3. (physics) a small wave on the
surface of water or other liquids for which the driving force is not
gravity, but surface tension.
4. (Electrical engineering) the
residual AC component in the DC current output from a rectifier,
expressed as a percentage of the steady component of the
current.
Ripple grass. (Bot.) See
Ribwort. -- Ripple marks, a system
of parallel ridges on sand, produced by wind, by the current of a
steam, or by the agitation of wind waves; also (Geol.), a
system of parallel ridges on the surface of a sandstone
stratum.
Rip"ple, v. t. To fret or dimple,
as the surface of running water; to cover with small waves or
undulations; as, the breeze rippled the lake.
Rip"ple, v. i. [imp. & p.
p. Rippled (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Rippling (?).] [Cf. Rimple, Rumple.]
1. To become fretted or dimpled on the surface,
as water when agitated or running over a rough bottom; to be covered
with small waves or undulations, as a field of grain.
2. To make a sound as of water running gently
over a rough bottom, or the breaking of ripples on the
shore.
Rip"ple, v. t. 1.
To remove the seeds from (the stalks of flax, etc.), by means of
a ripple.
2. Hence, to scratch or tear.
Holland.
Rip"ple (?), n. [FRom Rip,
v.] An implement, with teeth like those of a
comb, for removing the seeds and seed vessels from flax, broom corn,
etc.