riddle 1
/rid"l/ , n. , v. , riddled, riddling .
n.
1. a question or statement so framed as to exercise one's ingenuity in answering it or discovering its meaning; conundrum.
2. a puzzling question, problem, or matter.
3. a puzzling thing or person.
4. any enigmatic or dark saying or speech.
v.i.
5. to propound riddles; speak enigmatically.
[ bef. 1000; ME redel, redels (n.), OE raedels ( e ) counsel, opinion, imagination, riddle ( raed ( an ) to counsel, REDE + -els ( e ) deverbal n. suffix) with loss of -s- in ME through confusion with the pl. form of the n. suffix -el -LE (cf. BURIAL); c. G Rätsel, D raadsel ]
Syn. 1. See puzzle .
riddle 2
/rid"l/ , v. , riddled, riddling , n.
v.t.
1. to pierce with many holes, suggesting those of a sieve: to riddle the target.
2. to fill or affect with (something undesirable, weakening, etc.): a government riddled with graft.
3. to impair or refute completely by persistent verbal attacks: to riddle a person's reputation.
4. to sift through a riddle, as gravel; screen.
n.
5. a coarse sieve, as one for sifting sand in a foundry.
[ bef. 1100; (n.) ME riddil, OE hriddel, var. of HRIDDER, HRIDER; c. G Reiter; akin to L cribrum sieve; (v.) ME ridlen to sift, deriv. of the n. ]