Ruffians

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A group of violent or unruly individuals who engage in disruptive behavior and often show a lack of respect for societal norms
2. Individuals known for their thuggish behavior, often resorting to intimidation or violence against others
3. A band of boisterous miscreants who partake in rowdy activities, typically causing chaos in their surroundings

Etymology: "Ruffians" is the plural of "ruffian," and the singular carries a far seamier past than its modern sense of a brawling tough suggests. It came into English from Middle French "rufian," which was borrowed from Italian "ruffiano," meaning "pimp." The original notion was of a man who lived off the earnings of prostitutes, a figure of the criminal underworld rather than a rowdy street fighter. Over time the word drifted from that specific trade to a broader picture of a lawless, violent man, and eventually to the rough, boisterous gang we recognise now. The plural keeps that sense of a group of unruly characters who create trouble wherever they go.

Synonyms: thugs, hooligans, bullies

Antonyms: gentlemen, heroes