An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Riffel

by Friedrich Kluge

Riffel, Rüffel, n., ‘flax-comb, ripple; censure,’ probably allied to MidHG. riffeln, rifeln, ‘to comb or hatchel flax,’ riffel, ‘mattock,’ OHG. riffila, ‘saw.’ G. has similar figurative terms for ‘to find fault with, inveigh against’ (similar to etwas durchecheln, ‘to censure’). Comp. reffen.