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Harpoon vs Riffle - What's the difference?

harpoon | riffle |

In lang=en terms the difference between harpoon and riffle

is that harpoon is to hunt something with a harpoon while riffle is to prepare samples of material using a riffler.

As nouns the difference between harpoon and riffle

is that harpoon is a spearlike weapon with a barbed head used in hunting whales and large fish while riffle is a fast-flowing, shallow part of a stream causing broken water.

As verbs the difference between harpoon and riffle

is that harpoon is to hunt something with a harpoon while riffle is to flow over a fast moving shallow part of a stream.

harpoon

Noun

(en noun)
  • A spearlike weapon with a barbed head used in hunting whales and large fish.
  • (slang) A harmonica.
  • Derived terms

    * harpoon fork

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To hunt something with a harpoon.
  • Derived terms

    * harpooner

    See also

    * spear English transitive verbs

    riffle

    English

    Noun

    (wikipedia riffle) (en noun)
  • A fast-flowing, shallow part of a stream causing broken water.
  • A succession of small waves.
  • A trough or sluice having cleats, grooves, or steps across the bottom for holding quicksilver and catching particles of gold when auriferous earth is washed. Also one of the cleats, grooves or steps in such trough.
  • A quick skim through the pages of a book.
  • The act of shuffling cards; the sound made while shuffling cards.
  • Derived terms

    * cheater riffle

    Verb

    (riffl)
  • To flow over a fast moving shallow part of a stream.
  • To ruffle with a rippling action.
  • To skim or flick through the pages of a book.
  • To leaf through rapidly.
  • To shuffle playing cards by separating the deck in two and sliding the thumbs along the edges of the cards to mix the two parts.
  • To idly manipulate objects with the fingers.
  • To prepare samples of material using a riffler.