rifling

¹ American  

[rahy-fling] / ˈraɪ flɪŋ /

noun

1. the act or process of cutting spiral grooves in a gun barrel, pipe, etc.

2. the system of spiral grooves so cut.

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rifling ² American  

[rahy-fling] / ˈraɪ flɪŋ /

noun

1. the act or process of ransacking or robbing.

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rifling British  

/ ˈraɪflɪŋ /

noun

1. the cutting of spiral grooves on the inside of a firearm's barrel

2. the series of grooves so cut

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Etymology

Origin of rifling¹

First recorded in 1790–1800; rifle ¹ + -ing ¹

Origin of rifling²

rifle ² + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

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

Gabi starts on one as I open up another and start rifling through it.

From Literature

And rifling marks on its driving band confirm it had been fired.

From BBC

They’re in the hut right now, hunched over slips of paper, scratching away with colored pencils, rifling through German dictionaries.

From Literature

A few rows down, I spot Mom sitting on her bed, rifling through the drawer of her pine nightstand.

From Literature

Related Words

• rip