riddle

riddle

riddle¹ [rid′'l]

n.

[ME ridil < OE rædels, akin to rædan, to guess, READ¹]

1. a problem or puzzle in the form of a question, statement, etc. so formulated that some ingenuity is required to solve or answer it; conundrum

2. any puzzling, perplexing, or apparently inexplicable person or thing, as a difficult problem or enigmatic saying; enigma

vt.

riddled, riddling

to solve or explain (a riddle)

vi.

to propound riddles; speak enigmatically

SYN.- MYSTERY¹

riddle² [rid′'l]

n.

[ME ridil < OE hriddel, earlier hridder < base of hridrian, to sift, winnow, akin to Ger reiter < IE base * (s)ker-, to cut, separate > HARVEST]

a coarse sieve for grading gravel, separating chaff from grain, etc.

vt.

riddled, riddling

1. to sift through such a sieve

2.

a) to make many holes in, as by a burst of buckshot; puncture throughout

b) to find and show flaws in; criticize and disprove

c) to affect every part of; spread throughout [riddled with errors]