noun
Common
rifle
REYE-fuhl
Rifle (noun) means a long-barrelled firearm fired from the shoulder, with spiral grooves inside the barrel for accuracy. Example: “The shooting club keeps every rifle locked away safely when it is not in use.”
noun
1
A long-barrelled firearm fired from the shoulder, with spiral grooves inside the barrel for accuracy.
"The shooting club keeps every rifle locked away safely when it is not in use."
"He learned to hold a rifle steady against his shoulder."
"The hunter cleaned his rifle before heading out at dawn."
verb
1
To search through something quickly and often carelessly, typically to steal something.
"He rifled through the pile of papers looking for the receipt."
"Someone had rifled through her desk drawers while she was out."
"The burglars rifled the safe and left within minutes."
How to use rifle
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a long-barrelled gun, or the act of quickly (and often illicitly) searching through something.
Common pairings
rifle through a drawer
hunting rifle
assault rifle
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Word forms
- Plural
- rifles
- Third person singular
- rifles
- Past tense
- rifled
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The shooting club keeps every _____ locked away safely when it is not in use.
Etymology
Originally short for "rifled gun", from Old French rifler (\"to scratch, scrape, plunder\").
Synonyms
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Rhymes for rifle
See all rhymes for 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.
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