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Meaning of rifle in English
Pronunciation
/ˈraɪfəl/
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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.
go through in search of something
Examples
« search through someone's belongings in an unauthorized way »
« Who rifled through my desk drawers? »
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 »