rif

or riff

[ rif ]

/ rɪf /

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verb (used with object), riffed, rif·fing.Informal.

to discharge (a person) from military or civil service, especially as part of an economy program.

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of rif

First recorded in 1945–50; special use of RIF

Other definitions for rif (2 of 3)

Rif

or Riff

[ rif ]

/ rɪf /

noun

[er], /ɛr/, a mountainous coastal region in N Morocco.

Other definitions for rif (3 of 3)

RIF

[ rif ]

/ rɪf /

noun

Military. a reduction in the personnel of an armed service or unit.

a reduction in the number of persons employed by a business, government department, etc., especially for budgetary reasons.

Origin of RIF

R(eduction)I(n)F(orce)

How to use rif in a sentence

But while he was up there riffing about Steiger, he looked like he did in the Big Heat.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Riffing off the slogan “Now Everyone Can Fly,” the carrier offered no-frills flights that were both cheap and plentiful.
The Presumed Crash of AirAsia Flight QZ8501 Is Nothing Like MH370|Lennox Samuels|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But then she and King began riffing on what would have become of Valerie over the last nine years.
How Lisa Kudrow Pulled Off TV’s Ultimate ‘Comeback’|Kevin Fallon|November 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And what could be a more appropriate tribute to a writer who was always riffing on and ripping off earlier sources himself?
Book Bag: 5 Novels Shakespeare Sort of Wrote|Lois Leveen|October 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST

What most amazes me about the following novels is the variety of approaches they take to Shakespeare riffing/ripping.
Book Bag: 5 Novels Shakespeare Sort of Wrote|Lois Leveen|October 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST

British Dictionary definitions for rif

Rif

Riff Rifi (ˈrɪfɪ)

/ (rɪf) /

noun

plural Rifs, Riffs, Rifis, Rif, Riff or Rifi a member of a Berber people, inhabiting the Atlas Mountains in Morocco

Also called: Rifian, Riffian (ˈrɪfɪən) the dialect of Berber spoken by this people

See Er Rif

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012