rifle
0 antonyms and opposites of rifle, grouped by meaning.
Noun — A long-barrelled firearm fired from the shoulder, with spiral grooves inside the barrel for accuracy.
How to use rifle
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
Originally short for "rifled gun", from Old French rifler (\"to scratch, scrape, plunder\").
Full origin of rifle →Frequently asked questions
What does “rifle” mean?
The word “rifle” means a long-barrelled firearm fired from the shoulder, with spiral grooves inside the barrel for accuracy. In plain terms, either a long-barrelled gun, or the act of quickly (and often illicitly) searching through something.
How do you pronounce “rifle”?
“Rifle” is pronounced REYE-fuhl (/ˈɹaɪfəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “rifle” in a sentence?
Here is “rifle” used in a sentence: “The hunter cleaned his rifle before heading out at dawn.”
What part of speech is “rifle”?
Depending on how it is used, “rifle” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “rifle” come from?
The word “rifle” comes from Old French. Originally short for "rifled gun", from Old French rifler (\"to scratch, scrape, plunder\").
Is “rifle” a common word?
“Rifle” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “rifle” have?
“Rifle” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a long-barrelled firearm fired from the shoulder, with spiral grooves inside the barrel for accuracy.
What is the difference between a "rifle" and a "shotgun"?
A "rifle" has spiral grooves inside its barrel that spin the bullet for accuracy over distance, and it fires a single projectile. A shotgun typically has a smooth barrel and fires many small pellets, so rifles are built for precision and shotguns for spread.
Why does "rifle" mean both a gun and to search?
"Rifle" has two distinct senses: a noun naming the long-barrelled firearm, and a verb meaning to search hurriedly through things, usually to take something. Context makes the meaning clear, since one names an object and the other describes an action.