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

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

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

“I flipped the light switch on and took about two more steps, and there’s a man standing there,” Roebuck recalls, “a little short guy, holding a rifle in his hand.”

From Slate ● Sep. 17, 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

"The Germans approached within rifle range," recounts the BBC broadcaster.

From "The Boy Who Dared" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

These officers carry assault rifles, with no visible insignia and faces covered.

From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026

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

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

AFP witnessed one volunteer urging soldiers to put down their rifles and help with the rubble removal.

From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 2026

Below, we could not even hear the crack of the enemy’s rifles.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson

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

Miami immediately swept upfield and a flowing move saw Rodrigo De Paul and Jordi Alba combine before Messi slipped a pass to Silvetti who rifled home to make it 3-1.

From Barron's ● Nov. 30, 2025

Its lavender-hued storefronts attracted young people particularly in the 1990s and early 2000s, who rifled through its neon and glitter accessories racks for good-value buys.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 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

She rifled through the wagon until she found Pol’s bow, taking it out to the courtyard.

From "Huntress" by Malinda Lo

But she has deep knowledge of women’s pay: As an economist, she spent years rifling through boxes of surveys and personnel records and tracking down data to document women’s changing role in the workplace.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 29, 2026

Jovic stuck the knife in with four minutes remaining, rifling home a powerful low finish which gave the hosts a margin of victory which didn't truly reflect the balance of play.

From Barron's ● Jan. 25, 2026

All of Bezos’ wealth and all of Amazon’s lobbying muscle did not prevent federal agents from rifling through his employee’s home.

From Salon ● Jan. 17, 2026

Still, even in a movie where people are always skulking around rifling through each other’s things, his claim that he chose a drunken late night to confront Maggie about plagiarism sounds inconceivable.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2025

He spends the short time rifling through papers, asking simple questions, but not taking any notes.

From "The Boy Who Dared" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

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