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

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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”

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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

A man in Northern California is drawing comparisons to actor Antonio Banderas’ character “El Mariachi” by online commentators after Richmond police said they found him carrying a guitar case hiding a loaded rifle.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026

The inquest heard Joshua Brown, now 18, had agreed with his parents that only a couple of friends would come round and the air rifle would stay locked in a cupboard.

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

You named your eldest son Remington, after the rifle.

From Slate ● Sep. 28, 2026

A widely aired video showed an Israeli aiming his rifle at a Palestinian man as they approached each other.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026

At fifty-nine minutes, thirty-two seconds, I stopped, pulled my lighter hunt bag and the rifle off my back, and settled into the nook made by a felled tree.

From "The Marrow Thieves" by Cherie Dimaline

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

At one point, visitors were prompted to walk in a single file line past two Secret Service officers holding rifles.

From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026

In footage posted mid-June, state media showed a Revolutionary Guard member teaching women wearing heavy lipstick how to handle AK-47 assault rifles.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

Khanna, 49, had been in a van with his team when they were surrounded by settlers wielding M4 rifles on Wednesday, he told Reuters news agency.

From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026

‘I stashed twenty rifles in this convenient shrubbery’? Give us something.”

From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo

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

After controlling a bobbling pass and setting himself up in one touch, the 21-year-old rifled a hip-height volley on the swivel past Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simon at full stretch.

From BBC ● Jun. 8, 2025

Doncic rifled a pass at Austin Reaves’ feet, the two players getting crossed up on their timing.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 12, 2025

Suitcases stood open in the seats where they’d been lifted down from the overhead racks and rifled long ago.

From "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy

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

Julian Quinones times his run to perfection before rifling home a fierce shot to give Mexico the lead against Ecuador in their round of 32 World Cup match.

From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026

Who better to tell the tale of the city than the man who has spent years rifling through its junk?

From Los Angeles Times ● May 12, 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

She was in the wayback of the minivan again, rifling through a backpack or something.

From "Paper Towns" by John Green

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