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”

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

Images of the weapons found in the house were shown to the court, including an air rifle, which was stored in a wooden box and included a self-contained gas cartridge.

From BBC • May 18, 2026

Kovalskiy, who was brought up to not point a rifle at a person when shooting as a sportsman, said there is one aspect of his old work that he doesn’t miss: killing.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026

The Florida woman who allegedly raked Rihanna’s West L.A. home with rifle fire earlier this year may be mentally unfit to stand trial, her attorney said in court Wednesday.

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026

Sukram Ursa, 21, who surrendered in December, said he had swapped his assault rifle for a government-gifted mobile phone.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

The big one, Father’s deer rifle, has too much kick.

From "Z for Zachariah" by Robert C. O’Brien

Related Words

• rip