rustling

English

Etymology 1

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

Verb

rustling

1. present participle and gerund of rustle

Noun

rustling (uncountable)

1. The rounding up and theft of animals, cattle in particular.
   • 2021 September 22, Stephen Roberts, “The writings on the wall...”, in RAIL, number 940, page 71:

     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.

Etymology 2

From Middle English rusteling, roustlyge, equivalent to rustle +‎ -ing.

Noun

rustling (plural rustlings)

1. A series of rustles.
   • 2006 March 29, Richard Daughty, 321gold‎^[1], archived from the original on 16 July 2025:

     I hear a rustling in the bushes off to my right, and my trigger finger spasms.

   • 2009 January 30, Roberta Smith, “Bonnard Late in Life, Searching for the Light”, in The New York Times‎^[2], New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 3 December 2024:

     The time in the paintings is also deepened by furtive movements and rustlings, mostly thanks to Bonnard’s figures.

Anagrams

• lustring