rifling

¹ American  

[rahy-fling] / ˈraɪ flɪŋ /

noun

1. the act or process of cutting spiral grooves in a gun barrel, pipe, etc.

2. the system of spiral grooves so cut.

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rifling ² American  

[rahy-fling] / ˈraɪ flɪŋ /

noun

1. the act or process of ransacking or robbing.

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rifling British  

/ ˈraɪflɪŋ /

noun

1. the cutting of spiral grooves on the inside of a firearm's barrel

2. the series of grooves so cut

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Etymology

Origin of rifling¹

First recorded in 1790–1800; rifle ¹ + -ing ¹

Origin of rifling²

rifle ² + -ing ¹

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rifling

A few days later, rifling through my wallet, I passed a small red-and-gold card decorated with lucky cats and a rising sun.

From Salon ● Aug. 20, 2026

Skacel, the whirling dervish, in his pomp, skipping past defenders and rifling shots past goalkeepers, the little wonder tearing it up.

From BBC ● May 4, 2026

But she has deep knowledge of women’s pay: As an economist, she spent years rifling through boxes of surveys and personnel records and tracking down data to document women’s changing role in the workplace.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 29, 2026

French superstar Mbappe had a goal ruled out for handball moments before Morocco international Ounahi fired Girona ahead, rifling home from just inside the area to stun their illustrious visitors.

From Barron's ● Nov. 30, 2025

There’d been no electricity the night before and he was uncomfortable enough with the idea of rifling through his parents’ possessions without wanting to do it by flashlight.

From "The Dead and the Gone" by Susan Beth Pfeffer

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Related Words

• rip

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