ENGLISH DICTIONARY

Rifle

Definition, Meaning & Examples

Pronunciation /ˈɹaɪfəl/ · Part of speech noun

Quick meaning: Rifle is a noun meaning (weaponry) A firearm fired from the shoulder; improved range and accuracy is provided by a long, rifled barrel.

Meaning

(weaponry) A firearm fired from the shoulder; improved range and accuracy is provided by a long, rifled barrel.

More Meanings

  1. (military, usually in the plural, dated) A rifleman.
  2. (weaponry) An artillery piece with a rifled barrel.
  3. A strip of wood covered with emery or a similar material, used for sharpening scythes.
  4. (intransitive) To quickly search through many items (such as papers, the contents of a drawer, a pile of clothing).
  5. (intransitive) To commit robbery or theft.
  6. (transitive) To search with intent to steal.
  7. (transitive) To strip of goods; to rob; to pillage.

Example Sentences

Near-synonym: riffle
She made a mess when she rifled through the stack of papers, looking for the title document.
Stand, sir, and throw us that you have about ye: / If not, we'll make you sit and rifle you.
thine enemies […]shall ransack and rifle all the things of Edom; and shall search out all thy hidden commodities, and carry them away at once

Word Forms

Synonyms for rifle

Depending on context, synonyms include riffle, ransack, pillage, plunder, loot, foray.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include strip, foray, reave, ransack, pillage, plunder.

Related Dictionary Tools

Sources & Attribution

FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0

Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.