Rustle means to make a soft, whispering sound like dry leaves brushing together or paper being crumpled. When you walk through fallen autumn leaves, they rustle under your feet. When you turn the pages of a book quietly during silent reading time, the paper makes a gentle rustling sound. Wind rustling through tree branches creates one of nature's most peaceful sounds.

The word can also mean to move or work quickly and energetically. A busy cook might rustle up dinner for unexpected guests, moving swiftly through the kitchen to prepare a meal. If you need to rustle up some supplies for tomorrow's science project, you're gathering them quickly, perhaps from different places around your house.

In the Old West, rustlers were cattle thieves who stole livestock, often at night. They moved quietly and quickly to avoid detection. Someone might joke about rustling up some food at a campfire, playfully using the cowboy association with the word.