rifled

Variant of rifle

rifle definition

ri·fle (rī′fəl)

transitive verb rifled -·fled, rifling -·fling

  1. to cut spiral grooves on the inside of (a gun barrel, etc.)
  2. ☆

    Etymology: < riflethe

    to hurl or throw with great speed

Etymology: Fr rifler, to scrape, scratch < OFr < MHG riffeln, to scratch, heckle (flax) < OHG riffilon, akin to ripple

noun

    1. ☆ a gun, fired from the shoulder, with spiral grooves cut into the inner surface of the barrel
    2. a rifled artillery piece
  2. troops armed with rifles

Etymology: short for rifled gun

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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