rifle

1 of 4

verb (1)

ri·​fle ˈrī-fəl 

rifled; rifling ˈrī-f(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to ransack especially with the intent to steal

2

: to steal and carry away

intransitive verb

: to engage in ransacking and stealing

rifler

ˈrī-f(ə-)lər 

noun

rifle

2 of 4

verb (2)

rifled; rifling ˈrī-f(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

: to cut spiral grooves into the bore of

rifled arms

rifled pipe

rifle

3 of 4

noun

1

a

: a shoulder weapon with a rifled bore

b

: a rifled artillery piece

2

rifles plural : soldiers armed with rifles

rifle

4 of 4

verb (3)

rifled; rifling ˈrī-f(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

: to hit or throw (a ball) with great force or speed

Synonyms

Verb (1)

• comb
• dig (through)
• dredge
• hunt (through)
• rake
• ransack
• rummage
• scour
• search
• sort (through)
• troll

Examples of rifle in a Sentence

Verb (1)

rifled the desk drawer in search of the insurance policy

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

El Al, which recently reported record profits, has shipped tens of thousands of duffel bags full of items requested by Israeli combat soldiers, including tactical boots, helmets, flashlights, rifle scopes, drones and clothing, since Oct. 7. —Asaf Elia-Shalev, Sun Sentinel, 19 June 2024

Just before midnight on Nov. 19, 2022, Aldrich returned wearing a tactical vest with ballistic plates and brandishing an AR-15 rifle. —Christina Coulter, Fox News, 18 June 2024

The ban, which went into effect in 2019, came after a gunman, who used semi-automatic rifles equipped with the accessories, killed 60 people at a Las Vegas music festival in one of the deadliest mass shootings in modern U.S. history. —Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 18 June 2024

Had the shooter used what Thomas et al believe to be a real machine gun versus semiautomatic rifles equipped with bump stocks, would the outcome have been any different? —New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 17 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French rifler to scrape off, plunder, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German riffilōn to saw, obsolete Dutch rijffelen to scrape

Verb (2)

perhaps from French rifler to scratch, file, from Middle French, to scrape, plunder

and Verb (3)

First Known Use

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Verb (2)

1635, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1756, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (3)

1937, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing rifle

• air rifle
• assault rifle
• Browning automatic rifle
• Enfield rifle
• Garand rifle
• Kentucky rifle
• rifle through
• Springfield rifle
• squirrel rifle

Kids Definition

rifle

1 of 4 verb

ri·​fle ˈrī-fəl 

rifled; rifling -f(ə-)liŋ 

1

: to search through fast and roughly especially in order to steal

rifled the coat pockets for loose change

2

: steal entry 1 sense 2a

rifler

-f(ə-)lər 

noun

rifle

2 of 4 verb

rifled; rifling -f(ə-)liŋ 

: to cut spiral grooves on the inside of a barrel of

rifled arms

rifle

3 of 4 noun

1

a

: a weapon with a long rifled barrel that is designed to be fired from the shoulder

b

: a rifled artillery piece

2

plural : a body of soldiers armed with rifles

rifle

4 of 4 verb

rifled; rifling -f(ə-)liŋ 

: to hit or throw a ball with great force

Etymology

Verb

Middle English riflen "to steal or carry away by force," from early French rifler "to scrape off, plunder"; of Germanic origin

Verb

perhaps from French rifler "to scratch, file," from early French, "to scrape off, plunder"