Defn: Sweepings; refuse; the lowest order of society. Beau & Fl.
RIFLE
Ri"fle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Rifled; p. pr. & vb. n. Rifling.] Etym:
[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. Till time shall rifle every youthful grace. Pope.
2. To strip; to rob; to pillage. Piers Plowman. Stand, sir, and throw us that you have about ye: If not, we'll make you sit and rifle you. Shak.
3. To raffle. [Obs.] J. Webster.
RIFLE
Ri"fle, v. i.
1. To raffle. [Obs.] Chapman.
2. To commit robbery. [R.] Bp. Hall.
RIFLE Ri"fle, n. Etym: [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 As a military firearm it has superseded the musket.