▪ I. ruse, n.
(ˈruːz)
[a. F. ruse (14th c.), vbl. n. from ruser: see next.]
† 1. Hunting. A detour; a doubling or turning of a hunted animal to elude the dogs. Obs.
| c 1410 Master of Game (MS. Digby 182) ii, Somtyme he goth away with hem and þen he maketh a ruse in some side. Ibid. xxx, Alle his blenches and his ruses beforeseyde. |
2. A trick, stratagem, artifice, ‘dodge’.
| 1625 in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.) I. 261 The ruse of the bill of plague will start men to come up that are in the country. 1670 Ibid. 473 This might have been a ruse of the French. 1692 Ray Creation (ed. 2) 128 The wiles and ruses, which these timid creatures [hares] make use of to save themselves. 1746 G. Turnbull tr. Justin xxi. iii, When there was no more opportunity for rapine, he out⁓reached the whole city by this cunning ruse. 1823 J. Badcock Domestic Amusem. 33 The double ruse of decyphering the despatches, and then forwarding them by another hand. 1845 M. Pattison Ess. (1889) I. 14 They..endeavoured by some clumsy expedient, or grotesque ruse, to evade it. 1879 Farrar St. Paul (1883) 173 The asserted conversion might be only a ruse to enable Saul to learn their secrets. |
b. Without article.
| 1815 W. H. Ireland Scribbleomania 120 Ruse ever ranks with the Cloth as Fair Game. 1863 Sat. Rev. 4 Apr. 447 Seizing by ruse the game that evaded other snares. |
▪ II. † ruse, v.1 Obs.
Also 4 ruyse, 5 Sc. rus.
[a. OF. ruser, ruiser (mod.F. ruser): see rush v.2]
1. a. trans. To drive back in battle.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace 4658 Þeyr egre comyng þe Romayns a-boden,..& ruysed þe Brutons abak in feld. 1375 Barbour Bruce xii. 527 The Scottis men fast can thame payne Thair fais mekill mycht to rus. I trow thai sall no payne refus [etc.]. |
b. intr. To give way, retreat.
| c 1450 Merlin xviii. 288 As soone as Gawein was come he be-gan to do so well that the saisnes rused and lefte place. |
2. Of a hunted animal: To make a detour or other movement in order to escape from the dogs.
| c 1369 Chaucer Dethe Blaunche 381 So at þe last This hert rused & stale away Fro al þe houndis a prive way. c 1410 Master of Game (MS. Digby 182) ii, Þenne he begynneth to shewe his wiles and ruseith to and fro. Ibid., Þen he shall ruse oute of þe wey for to stalle or qwatte to rest hym. |
Hence † ˈrusing vbl. n. Obs.
| c 1410 Master of Game (MS. Digby 182) xxxiii, He seeth þat betynge vppe þe ryueres and brokes,..nor rusyng to and froo vpon hymselfe.., ne may not helpe. |
▪ III. ruse, v.2 dial.
Variant of rose v.2
| 1847 Halliw., Ruse, to slide down a declivity with a rustling noise. Devon. 1874 M. E. Whitcombe Bygone Days Devon & Cornw. 91 Hold up your mare, for just here the cliff roozed down last week. 1888 Elworthy W. Som. Word-bk. s.v. Ruse and Rusement. |
▪ IV. ruse
obs. form of roose n. and v.