noun / verb
rifle
RY-ful/ˈraɪfl/
A gun whose barrel has spiral grooves.
The rifle's barrel contains spiral grooves that distinguish it from a smoothbore gun.
Etymology
The gun-making verb probably comes from rifler, “to scratch or groove.” The firearm takes its name from spiral grooves cut inside its barrel, which spin the projectile and improve accuracy.
In context
we've got this light rifle thing, and that gun if you can make it 7.5 pounds in .30-06 that's a perfect gun
More examples
- The hunter carries a rifle over her shoulder.
- Spiral grooves inside the rifle's barrel make the bullet spin.
- The machinist rifles the barrel using specialized equipment.
Forms
rifle · rifles · rifled · rifling
rifling noun — Spiral grooves inside a gun barrel.
Similar words
- firearm
- A broader term that includes rifles, pistols, and shotguns.
- carbine
- A rifle with a shorter barrel than a standard rifle.