n.
Pronunciation: ' r ī -f ə l
Function: verb
Inflected Form: ri · fled ; ri · fling \ -f( ə -)li ŋ \
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French rifler to scrape off, plunder, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German riffil ō n to saw, obsolete Dutch rijffelen to scrape
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1 : to ransack especially with the intent to steal
2 : to steal and carry away
intransitive verb : to engage in ransacking and stealing
– ri · fler \ -f( ə -)l ə r \ noun