from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Rifle \Ri"fle\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Rifled}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Rifling}.] [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.
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Till time shall rifle every youthful grace. --Pope.
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2. To strip; to rob; to pillage. --Piers Plowman.
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Stand, sir, and throw us that you have about ye:
If not, we'll make you sit and rifle you. --Shak.
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3. To raffle. [Obs.] --J. Webster.
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from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Rifling \Ri"fling\, n.
(a) The act or process of making the grooves in a rifled
cannon or gun barrel.
(b) The system of grooves in a rifled gun barrel or cannon.
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{Shunt rifling}, rifling for cannon, in which one side of the
groove is made deeper than the other, to facilitate
loading with shot having projections which enter by the
deeper part of the grooves.
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