▪ I. ˈcross-ruff, n.
[cross- 9.]
† 1. An obsolete game at cards: see ruff. Obs.
| 1592 Greene Def. Conny Catch. (1859) 6 As thus I stood looking on them playing at cros-ruffe, one was taken revoking. 1693 Poor Robin's Alm. in Brand Pop. Antiq. (1870) II. 307 And men at cards spend many idle hours, At loadum, whisk, cross-ruff, put, and all-fours. |
2. Whist. (See quot. 1862.) Also in Bridge.
| 1862 ‘Cavendish’ Whist (1870) 28 A Cross-ruff (saw or see⁓saw) is the alternate trumping by partners of different suits, each leading the suit in which the other renounces. 1885 Proctor Whist vii. 76 More tricks are usually gained by the cross ruff than the opponents can afterwards make out of their suits. 1905 R. F. Foster Compl. Bridge 226 Do not let go of the lead until you have made all your trumps separately by the cross ruff on the red suits. 1907 C. S. Street Good Bridge vii. 103 The careless player exhilarated by the success of his devastating cross-ruff continues it once too often. 1926 M. C. Work Auction Bridge Complete ii. ii. 330 The Declarer who forces his long trump hand (except to obtain an entry in a cross ruff) is generally playing the game of the adversary. |
| fig. 1889 Sat. Rev. 9 Nov. 515 The trades are to establish a cross-ruff at the expense of the employers. |
▪ II. cross-ruff, v.
(Stress variable.)
[f. the n.]
intr. To play a cross-ruff. Also trans., to play (a hand) using a cross-ruff. So cross-ruffing vbl. n.
| 1905 R. F. Foster Compl. Bridge 226 Having no established suit..he plays to make his trumps separately by cross ruffing. 1918 ― Foster on Auction ii. 354 Cross-ruffing an entire hand. 1934 L. H. Watson Play at Contract Bridge xvi. 149 If you are going to play a hand by cross-ruffing, you must follow it through. 1958 Listener 4 Dec. 965/2 We cannot cross-ruff our way to a high level contract. |