| rifle | 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 As a military firearm it has superseded the musket. 2. 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, a trench for sheltering sharpshooters. Origin: Akin to Dan. Rifle, or riffel, the rifle of a gun, a chamfer (cf. Riffel, riffelbosse, a rifle gun, rifle to rifle a gun, G. Riefeln, riefen, to chamfer, groove), and E. Rive. See Rive, and cf. Riffle, Rivel. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| riflebird | <ornithology> Any one of several species of beautiful birds of Australia and new Guinea, of the genera Ptiloris and Craspidophora, allied to the paradise birds. The largest and best known species is Ptiloris paradisea of Australia. Its general colour is rich velvety brown, glossed with lilac; the under parts are varied with rich olive green, and the head, throat, and two middle tail feathers are brilliant metallic green. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |