ripple

noun

• 1a small wave or series of waves on the surface of water, especially as caused by a slight breeze or an object dropping into it: he dived into the pool leaving barely a ripple the ripples spread across the pond
• a thing resembling a ripple or ripples in appearance or movement:the sand undulated and was ridged with ripples
• a gentle rising and falling sound that spreads through a group of people:a ripple of laughter ran around the room
• a particular feeling or effect that spreads through someone or something:his words set off a ripple of excitement within her
• Physics a wave on a fluid surface, the restoring force for which is provided by surface tension rather than gravity, and which consequently has a wavelength shorter than that corresponding to the minimum speed of propagation.
• [mass noun] small periodic, usually undesirable, variations in electrical voltage superposed on a direct voltage or on an alternating voltage of lower frequency: [as modifier]:ripple current

• 2 [mass noun] a type of ice cream with wavy lines of coloured flavoured syrup running through it:a family block of raspberry ripple

verb

• (of water) form or flow with small waves on the surface:the Mediterranean rippled and sparkled (as adjective rippling)the rippling waters
• [with object] cause (the surface of water) to form small waves:a cool wind rippled the surface of the estuary
• move in a way resembling small waves: [no object]:fields of grain rippling in the wind
• [no object, with adverbial of direction] (of a sound or feeling) spread through a person, group, or place:applause rippled around the tables