---
title: rifle — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «rifle» in the school dictionary: A long gun fired from the shoulder, with spiral grooves inside the barrel so the bullet spins and flies straight. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# rifle

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** long gun, bullet, burglar, He, soldier, Someone · **What happens:** fire, spin, fly, search, steal, rifle · **To what, where:** shoulder, something, drawers, ball, net, rifle · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«rifle» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 7 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [rifle in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/rifle.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A long gun fired from the shoulder, with spiral grooves inside the barrel so the bullet spins and flies straight.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rifle:m1:1
# text = A long gun fired from the shoulder, with spiral grooves inside the barrel so the bullet spins and flies straight.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	gun	gun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	fired	fire	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	from	from	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	shoulder	shoulder	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	with	with	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	spiral	spiral	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	grooves	groove	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
12	inside	inside	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	barrel	barrel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	_
15	so	so	SCONJ	IN	_	18	mark	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	bullet	bullet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	nsubj	_	_
18	spins	spin	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	_
19	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
20	flies	fly	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	18	conj	_	_
21	straight	straight	ADV	RB	_	20	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fire** | participle | a long gun |  |  | the shoulder |  | with spiral grooves inside the barrel | vn throw-17.1-1 «NP V NP PP.initial\_location»: agent=Agent from shoulder=Initial\_Location |
| 2 | **spin** | present | the bullet |  |  |  |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **fly** | present | the bullet *not said here* |  |  |  |  | straight *property* | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: verb — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To search quickly and roughly through something, often to steal: «The burglar rifled through the drawers.».

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rifle:m2:1
# text = To search quickly and roughly through something, often to steal: «The burglar rifled through the drawers.».
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	search	search	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	advcl	_	_
3	quickly	quickly	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	roughly	roughly	ADV	RB	_	3	conj	_	_
6	through	through	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	often	often	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	steal	steal	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	16	punct	_	_
13	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	burglar	burglar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nsubj	_	_
16	rifled	rifle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	11	ccomp	_	_
17	through	through	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	drawers	drawer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **search** | to-infinitive |  |  |  | something |  | quickly *property* | vn search-35.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent through something=Location |
| 2 | **steal** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | often *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **rifle** *in a quote* | participle | the burglar |  |  | the drawers |  |  | vn rummage-35.5-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent through drawer=Location |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: verb, sport — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To hit or kick a ball very hard and straight: «He rifled the ball into the net.».

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rifle:m3:1
# text = To hit or kick a ball very hard and straight: «He rifled the ball into the net.».
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	hit	hit	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	kick	kick	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	ball	ball	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	very	very	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	hard	hard	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	4	advmod	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	straight	straight	ADV	RB	_	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	14	punct	_	_
12	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
14	rifled	rifle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	ball	ball	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	_
17	into	into	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	net	net	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hit** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn contiguous\_location-47.8-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **kick** | infinitive |  | a ball |  |  |  | hard *property* | vn split-23.2 «NP V NP apart»: agent=Agent ball=Patient |
| 3 | **rifle** *in a quote* | past | He | the ball |  | the net |  |  | vn rummage-35.5-1 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Agent ball=Location |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The soldier carried a rifle on his shoulder.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rifle:x1:1
# text = The soldier carried a rifle on his shoulder.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	soldier	soldier	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	carried	carry	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	rifle	rifle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	shoulder	shoulder	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **carry** | past | the soldier | a rifle |  | soldier's shoulder |  |  | vn carry-11.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent rifle=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Someone had rifled through my schoolbag.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rifle:x2:1
# text = Someone had rifled through my schoolbag.
1	Someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	3	nsubj	_	_
2	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	rifled	rifle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	through	through	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	schoolbag	schoolbag	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **rifle** | past · perfect | Someone |  |  | my schoolbag |  |  | vn rummage-35.5-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent through schoolbag=Location |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She rifled through the cupboard looking for her shoes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rifle:x3:1
# text = She rifled through the cupboard looking for her shoes.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	rifled	rifle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	through	through	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	cupboard	cupboard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	looking	look	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	shoes	shoe	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **rifle** | past | She |  |  | the cupboard |  |  | vn rummage-35.5-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent through cupboard=Location |
| 2 | **look** | gerund | She *not said here* |  |  |  |  | for her shoes | vn rummage-35.5 «NP V PP.location PP.theme»: agent=Agent for shoe=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The striker rifled the ball into the top corner.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rifle:x4:1
# text = The striker rifled the ball into the top corner.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	striker	striker	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	rifled	rifle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	ball	ball	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	into	into	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	top	top	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	corner	corner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **rifle** | past | the striker | the ball |  | the top corner |  |  | vn rummage-35.5-1 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Agent ball=Location |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Farmers in Australia may use a rifle to protect sheep from foxes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rifle:x5:1
# text = Farmers in Australia may use a rifle to protect sheep from foxes.
1	Farmers	farmer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
2	in	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	Australia	Australia	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	nmod	_	_
4	may	may	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	use	use	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	rifle	rifle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	protect	protect	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	advcl	_	_
10	sheep	sheep	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obj	_	_
11	from	from	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	foxes	fox	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | may | Farmers in Australia | a rifle |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent rifle=Patient |
| 2 | **protect** | to-infinitive | Farmers in Australia *not said here* |  | sheep |  |  | from foxes | vn defend-72.3 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Agent sheep=Beneficiary from fox=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Never touch a rifle or any gun; tell an adult straight away.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rifle:x6:1
# text = Never touch a rifle or any gun; tell an adult straight away.
1	Never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	2	advmod	_	_
2	touch	touch	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	rifle	rifle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
6	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	7	det	_	_
7	gun	gun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
9	tell	tell	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
10	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	adult	adult	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
12	straight	straight	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
13	away	away	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **touch** | imperative | you *not said here* | a rifle or any gun |  |  |  |  | vn contiguous\_location-47.8-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme rifle=Co-Theme |
| 2 | **tell** *speech: assert* | infinitive | you *not said here* |  | a adult |  |  | away *property* | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent adult=Recipient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
So he took up a rifle which he had laid at his bedside.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rifle:x7:1
# text = So he took up a rifle which he had laid at his bedside.
1	So	so	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
2	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	took	take	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	up	up	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	rifle	rifle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj:pass	_	_
8	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
9	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
10	laid	lay	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	acl:relcl	_	_
11	at	at	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
13	bedside	bedside	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take up** | past | he | a rifle |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent rifle=Theme |
| 2 | **lay** | past · perfect · passive |  | a rifle |  | his bedside |  |  | vn put\_spatial-9.2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: subject=Theme at bedside=Destination |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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