riddle

1
[ rid-l ]
See synonyms for: riddleriddledriddles on Thesaurus.com

noun
  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.

  1. a puzzling thing or person.

  2. any enigmatic or dark saying or speech.

verb (used without object),rid·dled, rid·dling.
  1. to propound riddles; speak enigmatically.

Origin of riddle

1
First recorded before 1000; Middle English noun redel, redels, Old English rǣdels(e) “counsel, opinion, imagination, riddle” + -els(e) noun suffix; cognate with German Rätsel, Dutch raadsel; see also rede

synonym study For riddle

1. See puzzle.

Words Nearby riddle

Other definitions for riddle (2 of 2)

riddle2
[ rid-l ]

verb (used with object),rid·dled, rid·dling.
  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.

  1. to impair or refute completely by persistent verbal attacks: to riddle a person's reputation.

  2. to sift through a riddle, as gravel; screen.

noun
  1. a coarse sieve, as one for sifting sand in a foundry.

Origin of riddle

2
First recorded before 1100; Middle English noun riddil, Old English hriddel, variant of hridder, hrīder; cognate with German Reiter; akin to Latin crībrum “sieve”; verb derivative of the noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use riddle in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for riddle (1 of 2)

riddle1

/ (ˈrɪdəl) /


noun
  1. a question, puzzle, or verse so phrased that ingenuity is required for elucidation of the answer or meaning; conundrum

  2. a person or thing that puzzles, perplexes, or confuses; enigma

verb
  1. to solve, explain, or interpret (a riddle or riddles)

  2. (intr) to speak in riddles

Origin of riddle

1
Old English rǣdelle, rǣdelse, from rǣd counsel; related to Old Saxon rādislo, German Rätsel

Derived forms of riddle

  • riddler, noun

British Dictionary definitions for riddle (2 of 2)

riddle2

/ (ˈrɪdəl) /


verb(tr)
  1. (usually foll by with) to pierce or perforate with numerous holes: riddled with bullets

  2. to damage or impair

  1. to put through a sieve; sift

  2. to fill or pervade: the report was riddled with errors

noun
  1. a sieve, esp a coarse one used for sand, grain, etc

Origin of riddle

2
Old English hriddel a sieve, variant of hridder; related to Latin crībrum sieve

Derived forms of riddle

  • riddler, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012