Rustle \Rus"tle\, v. t. To cause to rustle; as, the wind rustles the leaves.
Rustle \Rus"tle\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Rustled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Rustling}.] [AS. hristlan to rustle; or cf. Sw. rusta to stir, make a riot, or E. rush, v.] 1. To make a quick succession of small sounds, like the rubbing or moving of silk cloth or dry leaves.
He is coming; I hear his straw rustle. --Shak.
Prouder than rustling in unpaid-for silk. --Shak.
2. To stir about energetically; to strive to succeed; to bustle about. [Slang, Western U.S.]
3. To steal; -- used of livestock and esp. of cattle. [PJC]
{To rustle up} To gather or find by searching; as, to rustle up some food for supper. [PJC]
Rustle \Rus"tle\, n. A quick succession or confusion of small sounds, like those made by shaking leaves or straw, by rubbing silk, or the like; a rustling.
When the noise of a torrent, the rustle of a wood, the song of birds, or the play of lambs, had power to fill the attention, and suspend all perception of the course of time. --Idler.
His letters are filled with references to deadlines and the need for cash ("there are going to be an awful lot of bailiffs nipping at my heels unless I can rustle up some of the long green").
Warburg, Attwoods' merchant bank, will have its work cut out to rustle up a better bid.