addle (redirected from addling)

ad·dle  (dl)

v. ad·dled, ad·dling, ad·dles

v.tr.

To muddle; confuse: "My brain is a bit addled by whiskey" (Eugene O'Neill). See Synonyms at confuse.

v.intr.

1. To become confused.

2. To become rotten, as an egg.

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[From Middle English adel, rotten, from Old English adel, pool of excrement.]

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addle¹

vb

1. to make or become confused or muddled

2. to make or become rotten

adj

(in combination) indicating a confused or muddled state addle-brained addle-pated

[C18 (vb), back formation from addled, from C13 addle rotten, from Old English adela filth; related to dialect German Addel liquid manure]

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addle²

vb

Northern English dialect to earn (money or one's living)

[C13 addlen, from Old Norse öthlask to gain possession of property, from ōthal property]

Thesaurus

Verb	1.	addle - mix up or confuse; "He muddled the issues" muddle, puddle mix up, jumble, confuse - assemble without order or sense; "She jumbles the words when she is supposed to write a sentence"
	2.	addle - become rotten; "addled eggs" go bad, spoil - become unfit for consumption or use; "the meat must be eaten before it spoils"

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addle

verb

1. confuse, bewilder, mix up, muddle, perplex, fluster, stupefy, befuddle, fuddle I suppose the shock had addled his poor brain.

2. go off, turn (Brit. informal), spoil, rot, go bad, turn bad The heat had addled the milk and the stink made her retch.

Translations

addle

vt

brain → benebeln

egg → faul werden lassen, verderben lassen

vi (egg) → verderben, faul werden