rifle1
[rahy-fuh l]
- 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.
- one of the grooves.
- a cannon with such grooves.
- (often initial capital letter) rifles, any of certain military units or bodies equipped with rifles.
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- to cut spiral grooves within (a gun barrel, pipe, etc.).
- to propel (a ball) at high speed, as by throwing or hitting with a bat.
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Origin of rifle1
1745–55; < Low German rīfeln to groove, derivative of rīve, riefe groove, flute, furrow; akin to Old English rifelede wrinkled
rifle2
[rahy-fuh l]
- to ransack and rob (a place, receptacle, etc.).
- to search and rob (a person).
- to plunder or strip bare.
- to steal or take away.
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Origin of rifle2
1325–75; Middle English rifel < Old French rifler to scratch, strip, plunder
Synonyms
See more synonyms for rifle on Thesaurus.com1. See rob.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for rifle
Contemporary Examples
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.
Honoring The Late John Doar, A Nearly Forgotten Hero Of The Civil Rights EraGary May
November 15, 2014
In the Korean War, they took six weeks to train them how to use a rifle and then sent them off to war.
Acts of violence include death by hanging, rifle butt, boot heel, tank tracks and fireball.
Historical Examples
Ten emus came to water; shot twice with rifle at them, but missed.
Explorations in AustraliaJohn Forrest
Looking back, Andy saw a rifle pitch to the shoulder of the deputy.
Way of the LawlessMax Brand
He could follow his target as though a magnetic power attracted his rifle.
Way of the LawlessMax Brand
Andrew sat in the dark, hurriedly going over his rifle and his revolver.
Way of the LawlessMax Brand
Then, hardly looking at his target, he snapped his rifle back to his shoulder and fired.
Way of the LawlessMax Brand
rifle1
- 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
- (as modifier)rifle fire
- (formerly) a large cannon with a rifled bore
- one of the grooves in a rifled bore
- (plural)
- a unit of soldiers equipped with rifles
- (capital when part of a name)the Rifle Brigade
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- to cut or mould spiral grooves inside the barrel of (a gun)
- to throw or hit (a ball) with great speed
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Word Origin
C18: from Old French rifler to scratch; related to Low German rifeln from riefe groove, furrow
rifle2
- to search (a house, safe, etc) and steal from it; ransack
- to steal and carry offto rifle goods from a shop
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Word Origin
C14: from Old French rifler to plunder, scratch, of Germanic origin
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
Word Origin and History for rifle
n.
1775, "portable firearm having a spirally grooved bore," used earlier of the grooves themselves (1751), noun use of rifled (pistol), 1680s, from verb meaning "to cut spiral grooves in" (a gun barrel); see rifle (v.2).
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v.1
"to plunder," early 14c. (implied in rifling), from Old French rifler "strip, filch, plunder, peel off (skin or bark), fleece," literally "to graze, scratch" (12c.), probably from a Germanic source (cf. Old English geriflian "to wrinkle," Old High German riffilon "to tear by rubbing," Old Norse rifa "to tear, break"). Related: Rifled; rifling.
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v.2
"to cut spiral grooves in" (a gun barrel), 1630s, probably from French rifler, from Old French rifler "to scratch or groove" (see rifle (v.1)). Related: Rifled; rifling.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper