Definition Definition

riddle - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'riddle' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Riddle [ n.]
- 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.
- A board having a row of pins, set zigzag, between which wire is drawn to straighten it.
- Something proposed to be solved by guessing or conjecture; a puzzling question; an ambiguous proposition; an enigma; hence, anything ambiguous or puzzling.
2 . Riddle [ v. i.]
- To speak ambiguously or enigmatically.
3 . Riddle [ v. t.]
- To separate, as grain from the chaff, with a riddle; to pass through a riddle; as, riddle wheat; to riddle coal or gravel.
- To perforate so as to make like a riddle; to make many holes in; as, a house riddled with shot.
- To explain; to solve; to unriddle.

Meaning of 'riddle' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . riddle [ v]
Meaning (1):
- spread or diffuse through
Example in sentence:
  • An atmosphere of distrust has permeated this administration;
  • His campaign was riddled with accusations and personal attacks;
  • music penetrated the entire building
Meaning (2):
- set a difficult problem or riddle
Example in sentence:
  • riddle me a riddle
Meaning (3):
- pierce with many holes
Example in sentence:
  • The bullets riddled his body

Nearby Words:

rid ridable riddance ridded ridden ridder ridding riddled riddler riddling

See 'riddle' also in:

Dictionary.com Google Translator Wikipedia.com Merriam Webster

Categories

Browse Dictionary