Category:Rifle

Ri"fle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Rifled; p. pr. & vb. n. Rifling.] Etym: [f. rifler to rifle, sweep away; of uncertain origin. Cf. Raff.]

1. To seize and bear away by force; to snatch away; to carry off. Till time shall rifle every youthful grace. Pope.

2. To strip; to rob; to pillage. Piers plowman. Stand, sir, and throw us that you have about ye: if not, we'll make You sit and rifle you. Shak.

3. To raffle. [obs.] J. Webster.

Rifle Ri"fle, v. i.

1. To raffle. [obs.] Chapman.

2. To commit robbery. [r.] Bp. Hall.

Rifle Ri"fle, n. Etym: [akin to dan. rifle, or riffel, the rifle of a gun, A chamfer (cf. riffel, riffelbösse, a rifle gun, rifle to rifle a Gun, g. riefeln, riefen, to chamfer, groove), and e. rive. See rive, And cf. Riffle, rivel.]

1. 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 As a military firearm it has superseded the musket.

2. pl. (mil.)

Defn: a body of soldiers armed with rifles.

3. A strip of wood covered with emery or a similar material, used for Sharpening scythes. Rifle pit (mil.), a trench for sheltering Sharpshooters.

Rifle Ri"fle, v. t.

1. To grove; to channel; especially, to groove internally with spiral Channels; as, to rifle a gun barrel or a cannon.

2. To whet with a rifle. See rifle, n., 3.