Riffle through is a common expression meaning to quickly go through items or pages of a book. The spelling of this phrase can be explained using IPA phonetic transcription as /ˈrɪfl θru/. It is pronounced with a short "i" sound followed by the voiceless "th" sound and then "ru." The word "riffle" means to flip through pages or shuffle items rapidly, while "through" indicates the action is covering the entirety of something. Therefore, "riffle through" describes a quick and thorough search or examination.
The phrase "riffle through" is a phrasal verb that describes the action of swiftly and casually searching through a collection of items or a stack of papers, often in search of a specific item or to gain a brief overview of the contents. This action typically involves quickly flipping through the items with a rapid, light, and often noisy motion.
When someone "riffles through" a pile of papers, for example, they may rapidly thumb through the stack, separating and shuffling the pages to scan for a particular document or information of interest. This action can be employed to efficiently locate a desired item in a cluttered or disorganized collection, though it is often done with less focus and meticulousness than a thorough search.
The verb "riffle" carries the connotation of a hasty, almost careless action, reminiscent of the way a person might flip through the pages of a book or shuffle a deck of cards. It commonly implies that the search is directed towards finding something quickly, often in a more casual or informal manner. The term is also often used to describe flipping through a book or magazine without reading the content in depth, but rather scanning for highlights or points of interest.
Overall, "riffle through" depicts a rapid, somewhat noisy, and generally imprecise search through a collection or stack of items, often undertaken to find something specific or get a general sense of the contents.
The word "riffle" in the context of "riffle through" has its origin in the mid-18th century. It is derived from the Old French word "rifler", meaning "to graze" or "to rake". This Old French term itself comes from the Old High German word "rifeln", which means "to rake" or "to scratch". Over time, the meaning of "riffle" expanded to include the action of quickly flipping through the pages of a book or shuffling through a pile of papers. Thus, "riffle through" came to mean searching or browsing hastily through something.