Definitions for rifleˈraɪ fəl

Random House Webster's College Dictionary

ri•fleˈraɪ fəl(n.; v.)-fled, -fling.

(n.)a shoulder firearm with a rifled bore.
a rifled cannon .
rifles, a military unit equipped with rifles.
(v.t.)to cut spiral grooves within (a gun barrel, pipe, etc.).
to propel (a ball) at high speed.

Origin of rifle:

1745–55; < LG rīfeln to groove, der. of rīve, riefe groove, furrow; akin to OE rifelede wrinkled

ri•fleˈraɪ fəl(v.t.)-fled, -fling.

to ransack and rob.
to steal and take away.

Origin of rifle:

1325–75; ME < OF rifler to scratch, strip, plunder, prob. < Gmc; cf. OHG riffilōn to tear

ri′fler(n.)

Princeton's WordNet

rifle(verb)
a shoulder firearm with a long barrel and a rifled bore
"he lifted the rifle to his shoulder and fired"
plunder, despoil, loot, reave, strip, rifle, ransack, pillage, foray(verb)
steal goods; take as spoils
"During the earthquake people looted the stores that were deserted by their owners"
rifle, go(verb)
go through in search of something; search through someone's belongings in an unauthorized way
"Who rifled through my desk drawers?"

Kernerman English Learner's Dictionary

rifle(noun)ˈraɪ fəl
a long gun
a hunting rifle

Wiktionary

rifle(Noun)
A long firearm firing a single projectile, usually with a rifled barrel to improve accuracy.
rifle(Verb)
to search with intent to steal; to ransack, pillage or plunder.
rifle(Verb)
To scan many items (especially papers) in a set, quickly. (See also riffle)
She made a mess when she rifled through the stack of papers, looking for the title document.
rifle(Verb)
To add a spiral to the interior of a gun bore to make a fired bullet spin in flight to improve range and accuracy.
rifle(Verb)
To strike something with great power.

Origin: from rifler, from Old Low Franconian *riffilōn (compare obsolete rijffelen 'to scrape', geriflian, riffeln, riffilōn), frequentative of rīfanan (compare rifa). More at rive.

Webster Dictionary

Rifle(verb)
to seize and bear away by force; to snatch away; to carry off
Rifle(verb)
to strip; to rob; to pillage
Rifle(verb)
to raffle
Rifle(verb)
to raffle
Rifle(verb)
to commit robbery
Rifle(noun)
a gun, the inside of whose barrel is grooved with spiral channels, thus giving the ball a rotary motion and insuring greater accuracy of fire. As a military firearm it has superseded the musket
Rifle(noun)
a body of soldiers armed with rifles
Rifle(noun)
a strip of wood covered with emery or a similar material, used for sharpening scythes
Rifle(verb)
to grove; to channel; especially, to groove internally with spiral channels; as, to rifle a gun barrel or a cannon
Rifle(verb)
to whet with a rifle. See Rifle, n., 3