riddle

rid·dle ¹  (rdl)

tr.v. rid·dled, rid·dling, rid·dles

1. To pierce with numerous holes; perforate: riddle a target with bullets.

2. To spread throughout: "Election campaigns have always been riddled with demagogy and worse" (New Republic).

3. To put (gravel, for example) through a coarse sieve.

n.

A coarse sieve, as for gravel.

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[Middle English ridelen, to sift, from riddil, sieve, from Old English hriddel; see krei- in Indo-European roots.]

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riddler n.

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rid·dle ²  (rdl)

n.

1. A question or statement requiring thought to answer or understand; a conundrum.

2. One that is perplexing; an enigma.

v. rid·dled, rid·dling, rid·dles

v.tr.

To solve or explain.

v.intr.

1. To propound or solve riddles.

2. To speak in riddles.

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[Middle English redels, from Old English rdels; see ar- in Indo-European roots.]

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riddler n.

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riddle ¹

Noun

1. a question, puzzle, or verse phrased so that ingenuity is required to find the answer or meaning

2. a puzzling person or thing

Verb

[-dling, -dled]

to speak in riddles [Old English rǣdels(e)]

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riddle ²

Verb

[-dling, -dled]

1. to pierce with many holes

2. to put through a sieve

Noun

a coarse sieve [Old English hriddel a sieve]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	riddle - a difficult problem                   brain-teaser, conundrum, enigma problem - a question raised for consideration or solution; "our homework consisted of ten problems to solve"
	2.	riddle - a coarse sieve (as for gravel) sieve, screen - a strainer for separating lumps from powdered material or grading particles
Verb	1.	riddle - pierce with many holes; "The bullets riddled his body" pierce - make a hole into; "The needle pierced her flesh"
	2.	riddle - set a difficult problem or riddle; "riddle me a riddle" bewilder, dumbfound, flummox, baffle, mystify, nonplus, perplex, puzzle, stupefy, amaze, gravel, vex, pose, stick, beat, get - be a mystery or bewildering to; "This beats me!"; "Got me--I don't know the answer!"; "a vexing problem"; "This question really stuck me"
	3.	riddle - separate with a riddle, as grain from chaff screen sift, sieve, strain - separate by passing through a sieve or other straining device to separate out coarser elements; "sift the flour"
	4.	riddle - spread or diffuse through; "An atmosphere of distrust has permeated this administration"; "music penetrated the entire building"; "His campaign was riddled with accusations and personal attacks" imbue, permeate, pervade, interpenetrate, diffuse, penetrate penetrate, perforate - pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance; "The bullet penetrated her chest" spiritise, spiritize - imbue with a spirit
	5.	riddle - speak in riddles communicate, intercommunicate - transmit thoughts or feelings; "He communicated his anxieties to the psychiatrist"
	6.	riddle - explain a riddle figure out, puzzle out, solve, lick, work out, work - find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of; "did you solve the problem?"; "Work out your problems with the boss"; "this unpleasant situation isn't going to work itself out"; "did you get it?"; "Did you get my meaning?"; "He could not work the math problem"

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riddle ¹

noun 1. puzzle, problem, conundrum, teaser, poser, rebus, brain-teaser (informal) Chinese puzzle

noun 2. enigma, question, secret, mystery, puzzle, conundrum, teaser, problem

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riddle ²

verb 1. pierce, pepper, puncture, perforate, honeycomb

verb 2. pervade, fill, spread through, mar, spoil, corrupt, impair, pervade, infest, permeate

Translations

riddle [ˈrɪdl] n (= conundrum) → acertijo (= mystery); enigma m; misterio

vt to be riddled with → ser lleno or plagado de

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riddle [ˈrɪdl] n (= puzzle) → énigme f

vt to be riddled with → être criblé(e) de (fig); être en proie à

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riddle [ˈrɪdl] n → Rätsel nt

vt to be riddled with (guilt, doubts) → geplagt sein von;

(holes, corruption) → durchsetzt sein von

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riddle [ˈrɪdl] n (puzzle) → indovinello

vt to be riddled with → essere crivellato/a di

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riddle¹

n riddle [ˈridl]

a puzzle usually in the form of a question, which describes an object, person etc in a mysterious or misleading way Can you guess the answer to this riddle?; The answer to the riddle `What flies for ever, and never rests?' is `The wind'. raaisel لُغْز، أحْجِيَه загадка hádanka gåde das Rätsel αίνιγμα adivinanza, acertijo mõistatus معما؛ چیستان arvoitus devinette חִידָה पहेली zagonetka találós kérdés teka-teki gáta indovinello なぞなぞ 수수께끼, 알아맞히기 mįslė mīkla teka-teki raadsel gåte zagadka adivinha ghicitoare загадка hádanka uganka zagonetka gåta ปริศนา bilmece 謎語 загадка پہیلی câu đố 谜语