ripple

wave, ripple, surge

这些名词均有“波浪、浪、波涛”之意。
wave: 普通用词，指水面上移动的任何具有峰谷皱形的波动，尤指距离相等的波浪，也比喻任何类似的物体。
ripple: 多指微风吹过水面或石头投入水中所激起的涟漪或细浪。
surge: 词义较模糊，泛指巨浪、波涛或作比喻使用。

名词 ripple:

1. a small wave on the surface of a liquid
   同义词：rippling, riffle, wavelet
2. (electronics) an oscillation of small amplitude imposed on top of a steady value

动词 ripple:

1. stir up (water) so as to form ripples
   同义词：ruffle, riffle, cockle, undulate
2. flow in an irregular current with a bubbling noise
   同义词：babble, guggle, burble, bubble, gurgle

1. A ripple, as on the surface of water.
   (水面上的等)细浪，涟漪
2. The breeze rippled the quiet water.
   微风吹皱了平静的水面。
3. The wheat rippled in the breeze.
   小麦在微风中起伏波动。

ripple

v.（动词）
rip.pled,rip.pling,rip.ples
v.intr.（不及物动词）

To form or display little undulations or waves on the surface, as disturbed water does.
成波浪状；起涟漪：在表面形成或表现出起伏或波浪，如被搅动的水形成的
To flow with such undulations or waves on the surface.
起伏前进：表面上有这种起伏或者波浪的流动
To rise and fall gently in tone or volume.
（声音）起伏：声调或音量轻轻地升高或降低
v.tr.（及物动词）
To cause to form small waves or undulations.
使起涟漪，使起波纹：使形成小波浪或起伏
n.（名词）
A small wave.
小波浪
A wavelike motion; an undulation:
波动：像波浪似的动作；上下起伏：
例句：
the ripple of a flag.
旗子随风波动

A sound like that made by rippling water:
潺潺流水声，微波似的轻柔起伏声：如同起伏的波浪发出的声音：
例句：
a ripple of laughter.
一阵阵笑声

来源：
Middle English ripplen [to wrinkle, crease]
中古英语 ripplen [使起皱纹，折痕]
[perhaps of Scandinavian origin]
[可能源于斯堪的纳维亚语]

【引伸】
rip.pler
n.（名词）
rip.plingly
adv.（副词）

---------------另--------------
ripple
ripple 2

n.（名词）
A comblike, toothed instrument for removing seeds from flax and other fibers.
粗钢梳：一种梳状带齿的工具，用来除去亚麻或其他纤维上的籽
v.tr.（及物动词）
rip.pled,rip.pling,rip.ples
To remove seeds from with a comblike, toothed instrument.
（用粗钢梳）梳（麻）：用梳状带齿的工具除籽

来源：
Middle English
中古英语
from *ripelen [to remove seeds] ; akin to Middle Low German repelen
源自 *ripelen [去除籽] ；类似于 中古低地德语 repelen