noun

rustling

Rustling (noun) means the crime of stealing livestock. Example: “Cattle rustling was a hanging offense in the Old West.”

noun

The crime of stealing livestock.

"Cattle rustling was a hanging offense in the Old West."

A series of soft crackling sounds.

"The rustling of leaves outside made it hard to sleep."

How to use rustling

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither the soft sound of dry things moving, or the act of stealing livestock.

Common pairings

cattle rustling the rustling of paper

Word forms

rustlings plural

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Cattle _____ was a hanging offense in the Old West.

Etymology

From Middle English *rustlynge, rustland, from Old English hrīstlende, *hrȳstlende, present participle of Old English *hrȳstlan (“to rustle”), equivalent to rustle + -ing.

Origin: Middle English

Synonyms

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whisper whispering rustle

Related words

whisper rumor whispering rustle

Rhymes for rustling

bustling hustling

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.

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