riddle

riddle
{{11}}riddle (n.) "A word game ot joke, comprising a question or statement couched in deliberately puzzling terms, propounded for solving by the hearer/reader using clues embedded within that wording" [Oxford Dictionary of English Folklore], O.E. rædels "opinion, riddle, counsel, conjecture," from P.Gmc. *rædislijan (Cf. O.S. radisli, M.Du. raetsel, Du. raadsel, O.H.G. radisle, Ger. Rätsel "riddle"). Related to O.E. rædan "to advise, counsel, read, guess" (see READ (Cf. read)).
{{12}}riddle (v.) "perforate with many holes," 1817 (implied in riddled), earlier "sift" (early 13c.), from M.E. ridelle "coarse sieve," from late O.E. hriddel "sieve," altered by dissimilation from O.E. hridder "sieve," from P.Gmc. *khridan (Cf. Ger. Reiter), from *khrid- "shake" (Cf. O.N. hreinn, O.H.G. hreini, Goth. hrains "clean, pure"); probably from same PIE root as L. cribrum "sieve, riddle," Gk. krinein "to separate, distinguish, decide" (see CRISIS (Cf. crisis)).

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Riddle — ist der Familienname folgender Personen: Albert G. Riddle (1816–1902), US amerikanischer Politiker George R. Riddle (1817–1867), US amerikanischer Politiker Hal Riddle (1919–2009), US amerikanischer Schauspieler und Sammler Haywood Yancey Riddle… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Riddle — Rid dle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Riddled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Riddling}.] 1. To separate, as grain from the chaff, with a riddle; to pass through a riddle; as, riddle wheat; to riddle coal or gravel. [1913 Webster] 2. To perforate so as to make like a …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Riddle — Rid dle, n. [For riddels, s being misunderstood as the plural ending; OE. ridels, redels. AS. r?dels; akin to D. raadsel, G. r[ a]thsel; fr. AS. r?dan to counsel or advise, also, to guess. [root]116. Cf. {Read}.] Something proposed to be solved… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Riddle — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda La palabra riddle viene del inglés y significa adivinanza. Los riddles son juegos de lógica estructrurados en niveles que permiten poner a prueba las capacidades de deducción, imaginación, lógica, capacidad de… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Riddle — Riddle, OR U.S. city in Oregon Population (2000): 1014 Housing Units (2000): 406 Land area (2000): 0.667267 sq. miles (1.728214 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.667267 sq. miles (1.728214 sq.… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Riddle, OR — U.S. city in Oregon Population (2000): 1014 Housing Units (2000): 406 Land area (2000): 0.667267 sq. miles (1.728214 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.667267 sq. miles (1.728214 sq. km) FIPS code …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • riddle — Ⅰ. riddle [1] ► NOUN 1) a question or statement phrased so as to require ingenuity in finding its answer or meaning. 2) a puzzling person or thing. ► VERB archaic ▪ speak in or pose riddles. DERIVATIVES riddler noun …   English terms dictionary

  • Riddle — Rid dle, v. t. To explain; to solve; to unriddle. [1913 Webster] Riddle me this, and guess him if you can. Dryden. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • riddle — [n] brain teaser bewilderment, braintwister*, charade, closed book*, complexity, complication, confusion, conundrum, cryptogram, dilemma, distraction, doubt, embarrassment, enigma, entanglement, intricacy, knotty question*, labyrinth, maze,… …   New thesaurus

  • 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,… …   English World dictionary

  • Riddle — Rid dle, v. i. To speak ambiguously or enigmatically. Lysander riddels very prettily. Shak. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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