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View synonyms for rifle

rifle

1

[ rahy-fuhl ]

noun

  1. a shoulder firearm with spiral grooves cut in the inner surface of the gun barrel to give the bullet a rotatory motion and thus a more precise trajectory.
  2. one of the grooves.
  3. a cannon with such grooves.
  4. Often Rifles. any of certain military units or bodies equipped with rifles.


verb (used with object)

, ri·fled, ri·fling.
  1. to cut spiral grooves within (a gun barrel, pipe, etc.).
  2. to propel (a ball) at high speed, as by throwing or hitting with a bat.

rifle

2

[ rahy-fuhl ]

verb (used with object)

, ri·fled, ri·fling.
  1. to ransack and rob (a place, receptacle, etc.).
  2. to search and rob (a person).
  3. to plunder or strip bare.
  4. to steal or take away.

rifle

1

/ ˈraɪfəl /

verb

  1. to search (a house, safe, etc) and steal from it; ransack
  2. to steal and carry off

    to rifle goods from a shop



rifle

2

/ ˈraɪfəl /

noun

    1. a firearm having a long barrel with a spirally grooved interior, which imparts to the bullet spinning motion and thus greater accuracy over a longer range
    2. ( as modifier )

      rifle fire

  1. (formerly) a large cannon with a rifled bore
  2. one of the grooves in a rifled bore
  3. plural
    1. a unit of soldiers equipped with rifles
    2. ( capital when part of a name )

      the Rifle Brigade

verb

  1. to cut or mould spiral grooves inside the barrel of (a gun)
  2. to throw or hit (a ball) with great speed

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Derived Forms

  • ˈrifler, noun

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Other Words From

  • rifler noun

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Word History and Origins

Origin of rifle1

An Americanism dating back to 1745–55; from Low German rīfeln “to groove,” derivative of rīve, riefe “groove, flute, furrow”; akin to Old English rifelede “wrinkled”

Origin of rifle2

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English rifel, from Old French rifler “to scratch, strip, plunder”

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Word History and Origins

Origin of rifle1

C14: from Old French rifler to plunder, scratch, of Germanic origin

Origin of rifle2

C18: from Old French rifler to scratch; related to Low German rifeln from riefe groove, furrow

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Synonym Study

See rob.

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Example Sentences

Preece maneuvered toward the ball as it floated toward him, then rifled it into the back of the net for the game-winning goal.

One of the Patriot Prayer supporters who carried an AR-15 rifle into the Statehouse was charged with pepper-spraying six police officers.

The officer who shot Lemp did so, prosecutors concluded, after Lemp ignored commands to raise his hands as he got out of his bed, grabbed an assault-style rifle and pointed it at the officer, the report said.

The post was accompanied by a selfie of Barnett with a rifle strapped to his chest.

The truck, parked across the street from the party offices and near the entrance to a Metro station, contained rifles and shotguns, a great deal of ammunition, and other unspecified material, these people said.

In their midst stands a soldier with the Lebanese armed forces in a red beret, sporting an assault rifle and an unblinking stare.

He used the powerful assault rifle issued to all guards on tower duty.

My rifle was in my shoulder in that familiar and powerful position.

I crossed the room with my rifle up, stood on top of the bed, and from my perch looked down at bin Laden.

At one point McShane stopped suddenly, and pointed to what looked like a rifle protruding from a window.

There was no fighting; a rifle shot now and then from the crests where we saw our fellows clearly.

One Turkish Company, about a hundred strong, was making an ugly push within rifle shot of our ship.

Our batteries last night did not fire a shot and the men had to drive back the enemy by rifle fire.

MacRae's seat, stone-marker, and aboriginal spearhead; the three lined up like the sights of a modern rifle.

In the fall the barrel of his rifle had been so covered with dead leaves and dust that he could not take aim.

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riffraffrifle bird