riff

n.

1. Music. A short rhythmic phrase, especially one that is repeated in improvisation.
2. A clever or inventive commentary or remark: "Those little riffs that had seemed to have such sparkle over drinks ... look all too embarrassing in cold print" (John Richardson).

intr.v., riffed, riff·ing, riffs.
To play or make riffs.

[Origin unknown.]

(1) (Resource Interchange File Format) A multimedia file format introduced by Microsoft and IBM in the early 1990s that is structured in "chunks." Each chunk identifies the type of data that follows, thus RIFF files can be composites of different audio and video content. Microsoft's AVI and WAV files conform to the RIFF format.

(2) An earlier bitmapped graphics format developed for Letraset's ImageStudio and Ready, Set, Go programs for the Macintosh.

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Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: a jazz ostinato; usually provides a background for a solo improvisation

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The verb riff has one meaning:

Meaning #1: look through a book or other written material
  Synonyms: flick, flip, thumb, riffle, leaf

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - melodisk frase, der gentages jævnligt
v. intr. - spille riff

Nederlands (Dutch)
ritmische frase (jazz), Berber in Marokko, ritmische muziek spelen

Français (French)
n. - riff
v. intr. - (Mus) faire un riff

Deutsch (German)
n. - (Mus.) ständig wiederholtes Motiv
v. - (Mus.) das Motiv ständig wiederholen

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (σε μουσική τζαζ) επαναλαμβανόμενη μουσική φράση
v. - επαναλαμβάνω μουσικές φράσεις

Italiano (Italian)
riff, fare i riff, riffare

Português (Portuguese)
n. - frase (f) musical de suporte a um solo de instrumento (Mús.)
v. - executar uma frase musical de suporte a um solo de instrumento (Mús.)

Русский (Russian)
Рифф (Бербер), сыграть рифф, ритмическая фигура

Español (Spanish)
n. - frase corta y repetida en jazz
v. intr. - tocar riff

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - (mus) spela ett riff
n. - (mus) riff

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
即兴重复一段, 迅速翻动, 匆匆过目

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 即興重覆一段
v. intr. - 迅速翻動, 匆匆過目

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 리프, 반복 악절
v. intr. - 리프를 연주하다

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - リフ人, リフ語, リフ
v. - リフを演奏する

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) في موسيقى الجاز عبارة عن نغم قصير يكرر (فعل) يعيد ترديد نغم قصير‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮קטע חוזר (בג'ז)‬
v. intr. - ‮ניגן נושא חוזר ונשנה (בג'ז)‬

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riff	borkum riff
and barney and riff	hot riff electric guitar