The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
n. Music A short rhythmic phrase, especially one that is repeated in improvisation.
n. 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).
v. To improvise in the performance or practice of an art, especially by expanding on or making novel use of traditional themes.
The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
n. The belly; the bowels.
n. An obsolete form of reef.—2. A rapid or riffle. See riffle.
n. An obsolete form of reef.
WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
v. play riffs
n. a jazz ostinato; usually provides a background for a solo improvisation
n. a Berber living in northern Morocco
v. look through a book or other written material
Word Usage
"Thanks to technological acceleration, John Cage jokes are rapidly approaching their sell-by date (remember when 4'33 was this wild, crazy cult thing that nobody knew about?), but this riff is a worthy entry in the pantheon."