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Meaning of rifle in English

  1. Pronunciation

    /ˈraɪfəl/

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  1. Verb

    rifle

    Etymology

    Middle English: from Old French rifler‘graze, plunder’, of Germanic origin

    Definitions

    1. steal goods

    Examples

    • « take as spoils »
    • « During the earthquake people looted the stores that were deserted by their owners »
  2. 2. go through in search of something

    Examples

    • « search through someone's belongings in an unauthorized way »
    • « Who rifled through my desk drawers? »
  3. Noun

    rifle

    Etymology

    mid 17th century: from French rifler‘graze, scratch’, of Germanic origin. The earliest noun usage was in rifle gun, which had ‘rifles’ or spiral grooves cut into the inside of the barrel

    Definitions

    1. a shoulder firearm with a long barrel and a rifled bore

    Examples

    • « he lifted the rifle to his shoulder and fired »

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