Ri″fle, n. [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 As a military firearm it has superseded the musket.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.) 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.