rifle

¹ American  

[rahy-fuhl] / ˈraɪ fəl /

noun

• rifles
  plural

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.

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verb (used with object)

rifled, rifling

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 American  

[rahy-fuhl] / ˈraɪ fəl /

verb (used with object)

rifled, rifling

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.

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rifle ¹ British  

/ ˈraɪfəl /

noun

1. 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

2. (formerly) a large cannon with a rifled bore

3. one of the grooves in a rifled bore

4. (plural)

   1. a unit of soldiers equipped with rifles

   2. ( capital when part of a name )

      the Rifle Brigade

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verb

1. to cut or mould spiral grooves inside the barrel of (a gun)

2. to throw or hit (a ball) with great speed

rifle ² British  

/ 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

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Synonym Usage

See rob.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• rifler
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• rifles
  plural

Etymology

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”

Explanation

A rifle is a long, powerful gun that is fired from the shoulder. A soldier is most often armed with a rifle. Some hunters use rifles, which fire single bullets rather than the small pellets, or shot, that shotguns fire. A rifle can do more damage and is therefore often used in the military. The name comes from the shape of the barrel, which is grooved — or rifled, from the Old French word rifler, "to scratch or groove." Another meaning of rifle comes from the same root but means "to search through things in a hurried way."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rifle rifles rifled rifling

Plus, she was in the marching band — a rifle twirler — which in the South basically means “you’re a jock, you’re a star,” she says, laughing.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026

Or with arcane historical trivia, like the magazine capacity of the air rifle Lewis and Clark took on their westward expedition in the early 1800s.

From Slate ● Sep. 16, 2026

Moments after he blows out the candle on his cake, John’s father places a rifle in his hands.

From Salon ● Aug. 31, 2026

Those handing over a revolver, for example, will be paid AUS$1,000, while an air rifle will fetch AUS$450.

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

Wearing his Marine fatigues, Uncle Jet proudly held a black rifle across his broad chest.

From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young

These hunters, a unit of up to a dozen trained professionals employing rifles and bound by state regulations, are expected to kill the island’s non-native mule deer on the ground over four to five years.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026

As drills kicked off across Taiwan, reservists in Taipei sharpened their combat training at a high school, using U.S.-supplied rifles.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

Beyond salaries, he said broader welfare issues also required attention including uniforms, boots and, most critically, new rifles to tackle the ongoing crises.

From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026

She touches up a manicure, rifles through her closet, blends a green juice.

From Salon ● Jul. 2, 2026

Both men had hung on to their rifles.

From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan

Barely four minutes after Bellingham’s second goal, the lead was cut in half when England’s defense failed to deal with a free-kick and Mexico forward Julián Quiñones rifled into the roof of the net.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026

Peddemors netted again with a cross that found its way in after eluding several players before Beerensteyn rifled in from distance to double Wolfsburg's lead.

From Barron's ● Nov. 19, 2025

Mr Mescudi said he arrived at his home to find his security cameras facing the wrong way and unopened Christmas presents for his family rifled through.

From BBC ● May 22, 2025

To lead off the second, Sean Murphy rifled a 106-mph comebacker that Yamamoto snagged with his glove.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 2, 2025

The boys’ rooms were deserted, drawers opened, rifled through.

From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez

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

In any other part of civilized society, rifling through someone else’s diary is considered an outrageous invasion of privacy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 9, 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

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

She crossed the length of the room at a run and, not even bothering to try and keep them clean, started rifling through the stacks and stacks of documents.

From "Dactyl Hill Squad" by Daniel José Older

Related Words

• rip