|
(), n.[OE. ridil, AS. hridder; akin to G. reiter, L. cribrum, and to Gr. to distinguish, separate, and G. rein clean. See Crisis, Certain.] 1. 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. 2. A board having a row of pins, set zigzag, between which wire is drawn to straighten it. Rid"dle v. t.[imp. & p. p.Riddled (); p. pr. & vb. n.Riddling ().] 1. To separate, as grain from the chaff, with a riddle; to pass through a riddle; as, riddle wheat; to riddle coal or gravel. 2. To perforate so as to make like a riddle; to make many holes in; as, a house riddled with shot. Rid"dle n.[For riddels, s being misunderstood as the plural ending; OE. ridels, redels. AS. rdels; akin to D. raadsel, G. rthsel; fr. AS. rdan to counsel or advise, also, to guess. 116. Cf. Read.] Something proposed to be solved by guessing or conjecture; a puzzling question; an ambiguous proposition; an enigma; hence, anything ambiguous or puzzling. To wring from me, and tell to them, my secret, That solved the riddle which I had proposed. Milton. 'T was a strange riddle of a lady. Hudibras. Rid"dle v. t.To explain; to solve; to unriddle. Riddle me this, and guess him if you can. Dryden. Rid"dle v. i.To speak ambiguously or enigmatically. "Lysander riddels very prettily." Shak. スポンサード リンク
|