ruck
n. countablen. a pile of things that are all mixed together. It is a casual word for a messy heap of clothes, papers, or other items.
n. a heap or pile of things, typically in a disordered or untidy state. Often used in British and Australian English to describe a collection of items such as laundry or books.
I need to clear this ruck of clothes off the floor.
The children left a massive ruck of toys in the hallway after their party.
The attic was filled with a ruck of forgotten belongings, including dusty suitcases and old newspapers that had been stored for decades.
From Middle English ruke, from or related to Old Norse hraukr, which is from Proto-Germanic *hraukaz (“haystack, heap”). Compare Icelandic hrúka, Swedish ruka.
1780, from Old Norse hrukka (“wrinkle, crease”), from Proto-Germanic hrunkijō, hrunkitō (“fold, wrinkle”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to turn, bend”). Akin to Icelandic hrukka (“wrinkle, crease, ruck”), Old High German runza (“fold, wrinkle, crease”), German Runzel (“wrinkle”), Middle Dutch ronse (“frown”). More at frounce. Possibly related to Irish roc.
Compare Danish ruge (“to brood, to hatch”), itself related to Proto-Germanic *hraukaz (“heap, stack”).
Clipping of rucksack.