rifle

A long gun held against the shoulder when fired, designed to shoot accurately over a distance.

• The hunter carried a rifle.
• She aimed the rifle at the target.
• The soldiers cleaned their rifles after training.

Common phrases: hunting rifle, rifle barrel, load a rifle

A large gun with spiral lines inside its tube that make its shells turn as they travel.

• The fort had a heavy rifle.
• The crew loaded a shell into the naval rifle.
• These rifles fired farther than the older cannons.

Similar words: rifled cannon

Common phrases: naval rifle, siege rifle, heavy rifle

To search quickly through things, often leaving them untidy.

• She rifled through the papers.
• Someone had rifled through my desk drawers.
• Why are you rifling through my bag?

How to use it: rifle through something (He rifled through his bag for the keys.)

Similar words: rummage, search

Common phrases: rifle through something, rifle through papers, rifle through drawers