1. n. & v.
--n.
1. a gun with a long rifled barrel, esp. one fired from shoulder-level.
2 (in pl.) riflemen.
--v.tr. make spiral grooves in (a gun or its barrel or bore) to make a bullet spin.
Phrases and idioms:
rifle bird any dark green Australian bird of paradise of the genus Ptiloris. rifle-range a place for rifle-practice. rifle-shot
1. the distance coverable by a shot from a rifle.
2 a shot fired with a rifle.
Etymology: OF rifler graze, scratch f. Gmc 2. v.tr. & (foll. by through) intr.
1. search and rob, esp. of all that can be found.
2 carry off as booty.
Etymology: ME f. OF rifler graze, scratch, plunder f. ODu. riffelen