rifle

¹ American  

[rahy-fuhl] / ˈraɪ fəl /

noun

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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Related Words

See rob.

Other Word Forms

• rifler noun

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”

Example Sentences

His band quickly took control of a federal armory and rifle factory in the sleeping town of Harpers Ferry.

From Slate • Apr. 2, 2026

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has gifted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un with a rifle as they signed a friendship treaty in Pyongyang, state media report.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

Video footage released by Belarusian state media showed Lukashenko presenting Kim with what appeared to be an automatic rifle, prompting Kim to respond with a mock reloading gesture and say "thank you".

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

Tigri, grim-faced in body armor, stood next to Samary, slightly comical with his helmet askew and rifle hanging from a sling.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

Between downpours, he did a little skeet shooting at the rifle range.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

• rip