M-1 rifle

1 7.5

A U.S. military semiautomatic rifle used in World War II and the Korean War

noun

: rifle M-1

Because he happens to have an M-1 rifle here in the closet.

Examples

At 12:24 PM, the thirteen members of Troop G simultaneously turned, aimed their M-1 rifles, and opened fire on the crowd of unarmed students.

Academic text (2000)
Many veterans fondly remember their experiences using the M-1 rifle during the Korean War.
The soldier proudly displayed his M-1 rifle at the military parade, showcasing this iconic weapon from World War II.
During training, we were taught to effectively handle the M-1 rifle and understand its capabilities.

Synonyms

M-1

vsM-1 rifle

1 7.4

A standard U.S. military rifle used by U.S. soldiers in World War II

is the broader phrase focusing on wartime service rather than dates

Garand

vsM-1 rifle

1 9.1

A semi-automatic military rifle the U.S. used in World War II and the Korean War

is the more neutral, full description stressing official wartime use

Garand rifle

vsM-1 rifle

7.0

A US rifle that automatically loads the next bullet, used in World War II and the Korean War

is the general term emphasizing wartime standard use

Surface Forms

M-1 rifle singular

M-1 rifles plural

Morphology

M-1 + rifle

A B1 learner who knows 'rifle' will readily infer that 'M-1 rifle' names a particular model or type of rifle because alphanumeric model labels (like M‑1) commonly mark specific versions; this compositional relation is cross-linguistically familiar. However, the specific senses implied by the headword (that it is semiautomatic and a historical U.S. standard weapon used in WWII/Korea) are not derivable from 'M-1' alone, so the overall meaning is only partially predictable.

Etymology

M-1 rifle gets its name from the army's naming system: M stood for 'Model' and 1 showed it was the 'first' model chosen for use. So, M-1 rifle now means the standard U.S. army rifle used in World War II and the Korean War.