Meanings
rustling1
- gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of rustle
- uncountableThe rounding up and theft of animals, cattle in particular.
And if you would like one more fact about this worthy, he was responsible for an Act on the statute book abolishing the death penalty for cattle rustling.
2021 September 22, Stephen Roberts, “The writings on the wall...”, in RAIL, number 940, page 71
rustling2
plural rustlings
- A series of rustles.
I hear a rustling in the bushes off to my right, and my trigger finger spasms.
2006 March 29, Richard Daughty, 321gold1 more example
The time in the paintings is also deepened by furtive movements and rustlings, mostly thanks to Bonnard’s figures.
2009 January 30, Roberta Smith, “Bonnard Late in Life, Searching for the Light”, in New York Times
Synonyms & antonyms
nouna light noise, like the noise of silk clothing or leaves blowing in the wind
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
rustling · verb, noun
- Old English*hrȳstlan“to rustle”
- Old Englishhrīstlende
- Middle English*rustlynge
- Englishrustling
From Middle English *rustlynge, rustland, from Old English hrīstlende, *hrȳstlende, present participle of Old English *hrȳstlan (“to rustle”), equivalent to rustle + -ing.
More words from Middle English, Old English
Full word history & related roots →rustling · noun
- Middle Englishrusteling
- Englishrustling
From Middle English rusteling, roustlyge, equivalent to rustle + -ing.
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
rustling. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rustling
“rustling.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rustling. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “rustling,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rustling.
Source: rustling on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.