# ruse

> English word · Noun · IPA /ɹuːz/ · frequency rank #23,664

## Definitions
1. A turning or doubling back, especially of animals to get out of the way of hunting dogs.
2. An action intended to deceive; a trick.
3. Cunning, guile, trickery.

## Etymology
From Middle English rūse (“evasive movements of a pursued animal; circuitous course taken by a hunter to pursue a game animal”), from Old French rëuse, ruse (“evasive movements of a pursued animal; trickery”) (modern French ruse (“trick, ruse; cunning, guile”)), from ruser (“to use cunning, to be crafty, beguile”), possibly from Latin rursus (“backward; on the contrary; again, in return”) or Latin recūsāre, from recūsō (“to decline, refuse; to object to, protest, reject”). Doublet of recuse and rouse in the latter case.
The verb is derived from the noun. Compare Middle French ruser (“to use cunning, to be crafty, beguile”); see further above.

## Easily confused with
- **rye** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruse-vs-rye)
- **rut** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruse-vs-rut)
- **rush** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruse-vs-rush)
- **ruth** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruse-vs-ruth)
- **rust** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruse-vs-rust)
- **Russ** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruse-vs-russ)
- **rusk** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruse-vs-rusk)
- **Ryde** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruse-vs-ryde)
- **rusty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruse-vs-rusty)
- **rushed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruse-vs-rushed)
- **rushes** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruse-vs-rushes)
- **Russel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruse-vs-russel)
- **rusher** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruse-vs-rusher)
- **rustle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ruse-vs-rustle)
- **re** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/re-vs-ruse)
- **RS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rs-vs-ruse)
- **run** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/run-vs-ruse)
- **rub** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rub-vs-ruse)
- **res** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/res-vs-ruse)
- **rug** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rug-vs-ruse)

## Common misspellings (5)
`rruse`, `rsue`, `rues`, `russe`, `urse`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/ruse