noun
rustling
Rustling (noun) means the crime of stealing livestock. Example: “Cattle rustling was a hanging offense in the Old West.”
noun
1
The crime of stealing livestock.
"Cattle rustling was a hanging offense in the Old West."
2
A series of soft crackling sounds.
"The rustling of leaves outside made it hard to sleep."
How to use rustling
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the soft sound of dry things moving, or the act of stealing livestock.
Common pairings
cattle rustling
the rustling of paper
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Word forms
- Plural
- rustlings
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Cattle _____ was a hanging offense in the Old West.
Etymology
It comes from Middle English *rustlynge, rustland, from Old English hrīstlende, *hrȳstlende, the present participle of Old English *hrȳstlan ("to rustle"), equivalent to rustle + -ing.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for rustling
See all rhymes for rustling →Frequently asked questions
What does “rustling” mean?
The word “rustling” means the crime of stealing livestock. In plain terms, either the soft sound of dry things moving, or the act of stealing livestock.
How do you use “rustling” in a sentence?
Here is “rustling” used in a sentence: “Cattle rustling was a hanging offense in the Old West.”
What part of speech is “rustling”?
“Rustling” is a noun.
How many meanings does “rustling” have?
“Rustling” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the crime of stealing livestock.
