rifle
pronunciation
How to pronounce rifle in British English:
UK [ˈraɪfl]
How to pronounce rifle in American English:
US [ˈraɪfl]
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- Noun:
- a shoulder firearm with a long barrel and a rifled bore
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- Verb:
- steal goods; take as spoils
- go through in search of something; search through someone's belongings in an unauthorized way
Word Origin
- 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).
- 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 (compare Old English geriflian "to wrinkle," Old High German riffilon "to tear by rubbing," Old Norse rifa "to tear, break"). Related: Rifled; rifling.
- 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.
Example
- 1. They believed he remained in the woods with the rifle .
- 2. Army snipers in afghanistan will receive an improved rifle this fall .
- 3. A soldier lowers his rifle .
- 4. Then , probably , she will give him his father 's rifle .
- 5. It 's time to wade into the terrifying world of hardcore air rifle enthusiasts .