Definitions for riddle
ˈrɪd lrid·dle

Princeton's WordNet(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. riddle, conundrum, enigma, brain-teaser(noun)

   a difficult problem

2. riddle(verb)

   a coarse sieve (as for gravel)

3. riddle(verb)

   pierce with many holes

   "The bullets riddled his body"

4. riddle(verb)

   set a difficult problem or riddle

   "riddle me a riddle"

5. riddle, screen(verb)

   separate with a riddle, as grain from chaff

6. permeate, pervade, penetrate, interpenetrate, diffuse, imbue, riddle(verb)

   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"

7. riddle(verb)

   speak in riddles

8. riddle(verb)

   explain a riddle

Webster Dictionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Riddle(noun)

   a sieve with coarse meshes, usually of wire, for separating coarser materials from finer, as chaff from grain, cinders from ashes, or gravel from sand

   Etymology: [OE. ridil, AS. hridder; akin to G. reiter, L. cribrum, and to Gr. kri`nein to distinguish, separate, and G. rein clean. See Crisis, Certain.]

2. Riddle(noun)

   a board having a row of pins, set zigzag, between which wire is drawn to straighten it

   Etymology: [OE. ridil, AS. hridder; akin to G. reiter, L. cribrum, and to Gr. kri`nein to distinguish, separate, and G. rein clean. See Crisis, Certain.]

3. Riddle(verb)

   to separate, as grain from the chaff, with a riddle; to pass through a riddle; as, riddle wheat; to riddle coal or gravel

   Etymology: [OE. ridil, AS. hridder; akin to G. reiter, L. cribrum, and to Gr. kri`nein to distinguish, separate, and G. rein clean. See Crisis, Certain.]

4. Riddle(verb)

   to perforate so as to make like a riddle; to make many holes in; as, a house riddled with shot

   Etymology: [OE. ridil, AS. hridder; akin to G. reiter, L. cribrum, and to Gr. kri`nein to distinguish, separate, and G. rein clean. See Crisis, Certain.]

5. Riddle(noun)

   something proposed to be solved by guessing or conjecture; a puzzling question; an ambiguous proposition; an enigma; hence, anything ambiguous or puzzling

   Etymology: [OE. ridil, AS. hridder; akin to G. reiter, L. cribrum, and to Gr. kri`nein to distinguish, separate, and G. rein clean. See Crisis, Certain.]

6. Riddle(verb)

   to explain; to solve; to unriddle

   Etymology: [OE. ridil, AS. hridder; akin to G. reiter, L. cribrum, and to Gr. kri`nein to distinguish, separate, and G. rein clean. See Crisis, Certain.]

7. Riddle(verb)

   to speak ambiguously or enigmatically

   Etymology: [OE. ridil, AS. hridder; akin to G. reiter, L. cribrum, and to Gr. kri`nein to distinguish, separate, and G. rein clean. See Crisis, Certain.]

Freebase(4.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Riddle

   A riddle is a statement or question or phrase having a double or veiled meaning, put forth as a puzzle to be solved. Riddles are of two types: enigmas, which are problems generally expressed in metaphorical or allegorical language that require ingenuity and careful thinking for their solution, and conundra, which are questions relying for their effects on punning in either the question or the answer.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Riddle

   rid′l, n. an obscure description of something which the hearer is asked to name: a puzzling question: an enigma: anything puzzling, even a person.—v.i. to make riddles: to speak obscurely: to plait.—adj. Ridd′le-like (Shak.), like a riddle or enigma.—ns. Ridd′ler; Ridd′ling (Spens.), skill in explaining riddles.—adv. Ridd′lingly. [A.S. rǽdelse—rǽdan, to guess, to read—rǽd, counsel; cog. with Dut. raad, Ger. rath.]

2. Riddle

   rid′l, n. a large sieve for separating coarser materials from finer.—v.t. to separate with a riddle, as grain from chaff: to make full of holes like a riddle, as with shot.—n.pl. Ridd′lings, siftings. [A.S. hridder; Gael. criathar.]

Dictionary of Nautical Terms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. riddle

   A sort of weir in rivers.--To riddle. To fire through and through a vessel, and reduce her to a sieve-like condition.

Anagrams for riddle »

1. Dreidl

How to pronounce riddle?

1. Alex

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

How to say riddle in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of riddle in Chaldean Numerology is: 1

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of riddle in Pythagorean Numerology is: 7

Examples of riddle in a Sentence

1. Albert Einstein:

   There was this huge world out there, independent of us human beings and standing before us like a great, eternal riddle, at least partly accessible to our inspection and thought. The contemplation of that world beckoned like a liberation.

2. Winston Churchill:

   I cannot forecast to you the action of Russia. It is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.

3. Mark Muro:

   There's a big meta question -- to what extent do economic gains actually filter into political behavior. That is the riddle.

4. Chris Casey:

   The ring ... really helped us to solve this riddle.

5. Sir Winston Churchill, Radio speech, 1939:

   I cannot forecast to you the action of Russia. It is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma: but perhaps there is a key. That key is Russian national interest.

Images & Illustrations of riddle

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