# rifle

/ˈɹaɪfəɫ/ (US) · /ɹˈaɪfəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/rifle
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. a long firearm

noun · CEFR B1

a long gun that you hold against your shoulder when you fire it.

For teachers: a shoulder-fired firearm with a long barrel containing spiral grooves to improve accuracy and range.

- The hunter carried his rifle carefully as he walked through the woods.
- The infantry was equipped with modern assault rifles capable of both semi-automatic and burst fire modes for various combat scenarios.

### 2. to search through quickly

verb · CEFR B2

to search through something quickly and often roughly, especially to find or steal something.

For teachers: to search through a collection of items or a container with haste, often involving the displacement of contents.

- She had to rifle through her bag to find her car keys.
- The burglars had clearly rifled through the desk drawers, leaving a chaotic trail of documents and personal correspondence across the floor.

Usage: Often used with the preposition 'through'.

### 3. to steal or rob

verb · CEFR C1 · Literary

to steal things from a place or a person.

For teachers: to strip a place of goods or to rob someone, typically involving a thorough and aggressive search.

- The soldiers began to rifle the abandoned houses for food and valuables.
- The invaders proceeded to rifle the treasury, seizing ancient artifacts and gold coins that had been stored there for centuries.

### 4. to make grooves in a barrel

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical

to cut spiral grooves inside the barrel of a gun.

For teachers: to form spiral grooves within the bore of a firearm or artillery piece to impart spin to the projectile.

- Special machines are used to rifle the barrels of high-precision target guns.
- The decision to rifle the artillery pieces significantly increased the effective range and accuracy of the battery during the siege.

## Examples

- The hunter carried a rifle over his shoulder.
- During the competition, the athletes must remain perfectly still while aiming their rifle at the distant target.
- Modern infantry units are typically equipped with a versatile assault rifle capable of both semi-automatic and burst fire to suit various combat environments.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.