Part 347

Ri"fle, v. i. 1. To raffle. [Obs.] Chapman.

2. To commit robbery. [R.] Bp. Hall.

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 As a military firearm it has superseded the musket.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.

Ri"fle (?), v. t. 1. To grove; to channel; especially, to groove internally with spiral channels; as, to rifle a gun barrel or a cannon.

2. To whet with a rifle. See Rifle, n., 3.

Ri"fle*bird` (?), n. (Zoöl.) 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 color 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.

Ri"fle*man (?), n.; pl. Rifleman (&?;). (Mil.) A soldier armed with a rifle.

Ri"fler (?), n. One who rifles; a robber.

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.

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.

Rift (?), obs. p. p. of Rive. Spenser.

Rift, n. [Written also reft.] [Dan. rift, fr. rieve to rend. See Rive.] 1. An opening made by riving or splitting; a cleft; a fissure. Spenser.

2. A shallow place in a stream; a ford.

Rift, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Rifted; p. pr. & vb. n. Rifting.] To cleave; to rive; to split; as, to rift an oak or a rock; to rift the clouds. Longfellow.

To dwell these rifted rocks between.

Wordsworth.

Rift, v. i. 1. To burst open; to split. Shak.

Timber . . . not apt to rif with ordnance.

Bacon.

2. To belch. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.]

Rift"er (?), n. A rafter. [Obs.] Holland.

Rig (?), n. [See Ridge.] A ridge. [Prov. or Scott.]

Rig, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Rigged (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Rigging (?).] [Norweg. rigga to bind, particularly, to wrap round, rig; cf. AS. wrhan to cover.] 1. To furnish with apparatus or gear; to fit with tackling.

2. To dress; to equip; to clothe, especially in an odd or fanciful manner; -- commonly followed by out.