rifle

rifle approach

In business, a marketing strategy in which a very narrow, focused, or selective group, demographic, or population is targeted or advertised to. Our competitors have been drawing away a large proportion of the market share of teenaged customers, so our next marketing campaign is going to have a rifle approach to get them back.

See also: approach, rifle

rifle through (something)

To look through something very quickly, roughly, or energetically. I rifled through the filing cabinet, but I couldn't find our tax return anywhere. I could hear you rifling through the kitchen at 1 AM—what on earth were you looking for?

See also: rifle, through

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

rifle through something

to ransack something; to search quickly or roughly through something looking for something. The teenager quickly rifled through the cabinets, looking for something worth eating. The soldiers rifled through every house they could break into. rig someone or something out (in something) to outfit someone or something in something; to decorate or dress someone or something in something. (Alludes to the rigging of a sailing ship.) Joan rigged her daughter out in a witch's costume for the Halloween party. He rigged out his car with lights for the parade.

See also: rifle, through

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

rifle through

v.

To search through something quickly and vigorously: I rifled through the drawer looking for my car keys.

See also: rifle, through

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.