rock the boat vs ruffle

rock the boat

verb
  • To disturb the status quo or go against rules or conventions, as in an effort to get attention. 

  • I'd just jump in and fix it, but that's not my job, and I don't want to rock the boat. 

ruffle

verb
  • To disturb; especially, to cause to flutter. 

  • To become disordered; to play loosely; to flutter. 

  • To erect in a ruff, as feathers. 

  • To throw together in a disorderly manner. 

  • To beat with the ruff or ruffle, as a drum. 

  • To be rough; to jar; to be in contention; hence, to put on airs; to swagger. 

  • To grow rough, boisterous, or turbulent. 

  • To make into a ruff; to draw or contract into puckers, plaits, or folds; to wrinkle. 

  • To make a ruffle in; to curl or flute, as an edge of fabric. 

noun
  • Any gathered or curled strip of fabric added as trim or decoration. 

  • Disturbance; agitation; commotion. 

  • The connected series of large egg capsules, or oothecae, of several species of American marine gastropods of the genus Fulgur. 

  • A low, vibrating beat of a drum, quieter than a roll; a ruff. 

How often have the words rock the boat and ruffle occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )