rifling1
[rahy-fling]
- the act or process of cutting spiral grooves in a gun barrel, pipe, etc.
- the system of spiral grooves so cut.
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Origin of rifling1
rifling2
[rahy-fling]
- the act or process of ransacking or robbing.
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Origin of rifling2
rifle1
[rahy-fuh l]
- 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.
- one of the grooves.
- a cannon with such grooves.
- (often initial capital letter) rifles, any of certain military units or bodies equipped with rifles.
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- to cut spiral grooves within (a gun barrel, pipe, etc.).
- to propel (a ball) at high speed, as by throwing or hitting with a bat.
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Origin of rifle1
1745–55; < Low German rīfeln to groove, derivative of rīve, riefe groove, flute, furrow; akin to Old English rifelede wrinkled
rifle2
[rahy-fuh l]
- to ransack and rob (a place, receptacle, etc.).
- to search and rob (a person).
- to plunder or strip bare.
- to steal or take away.
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Origin of rifle2
1325–75; Middle English rifel < Old French rifler to scratch, strip, plunder
Synonyms
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.com1. See rob.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for rifling
Historical Examples
The bullet was a Guedes, with no marks of rifling, and was in no way deformed.
Surgical Experiences in South Africa, 1899-1900George Henry Makins
These other marks were made by the rifling of the barrel a barrel like this one.'
Trent's Last CaseE.C. (Edmund Clerihew) Bentley
Showing the machinery for boring and rifling heavy ordnance.
Sixty Years a QueenSir Herbert Maxwell
"Go on with your task of rifling the traveller's saddle-bags," she said, but made no movement to go.
The MercenaryW. J. Eccott
Then he cut her throat, and leaving her for dead on the bed, 019proceeded with his rifling.
Highways and Byways in The BorderAndrew Lang
rifling
- the cutting of spiral grooves on the inside of a firearm's barrel
- the series of grooves so cut
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rifle1
- 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
- (as modifier)rifle fire
- (formerly) a large cannon with a rifled bore
- one of the grooves in a rifled bore
- (plural)
- a unit of soldiers equipped with rifles
- (capital when part of a name)the Rifle Brigade
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- to cut or mould spiral grooves inside the barrel of (a gun)
- to throw or hit (a ball) with great speed
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Word Origin
C18: from Old French rifler to scratch; related to Low German rifeln from riefe groove, furrow
rifle2
- to search (a house, safe, etc) and steal from it; ransack
- to steal and carry offto rifle goods from a shop
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Word Origin
C14: from Old French rifler to plunder, scratch, of Germanic origin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for rifling
rifle
n.
1775, "portable firearm having a spirally grooved bore," used earlier of the grooves themselves (1751), noun use of rifled (pistol), 1680s, from verb meaning "to cut spiral grooves in" (a gun barrel); see rifle (v.2).
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rifle
v.1
"to plunder," early 14c. (implied in rifling), from Old French rifler "strip, filch, plunder, peel off (skin or bark), fleece," literally "to graze, scratch" (12c.), probably from a Germanic source (cf. Old English geriflian "to wrinkle," Old High German riffilon "to tear by rubbing," Old Norse rifa "to tear, break"). Related: Rifled; rifling.
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rifle
v.2
"to cut spiral grooves in" (a gun barrel), 1630s, probably from French rifler, from Old French rifler "to scratch or groove" (see rifle (v.1)). Related: Rifled; rifling.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper