释义 |
rid·dle I. \ˈridəl\ noun (-s) Etymology: Middle English redels, redel, ridel, from Old English rǣdels, rǣdelse opinion, conjecture, riddle; akin to Middle High German rātsel riddle, Old English rǣdan to advise, interpret — more at read 1. : a mystifying, misleading, or puzzling question posed as a problem to be solved or guessed often as a game : conundrum, enigma 2. : something or someone difficult to understand : a problematical event, situation, or person : mystery < the eternal riddle of nominalism and realism — B.N.Cardozo > < will help the scientist to solve one of the many riddles of cancer — Waldemar Kaempffert > Synonyms: see mystery II. verb (riddled ; riddled ; riddling \-d(ə)liŋ\ ; riddles) transitive verb 1. : to find the solution of : explain, interpret 2. : to create or set a riddle for : mystify, perplex, puzzle intransitive verb : to speak in or propound riddles III. noun (-s) Etymology: Middle English riddil, from Old English hriddel, alteration of hrider, hridder — more at certain 1. : a coarse sieve: as a. : a sieve for grading potatoes b. : a device for sifting coal c. : a sieve for panning gold d. : a sieve for sand used in a foundry e. : a strainer kept in motion to sift middlings in flour milling 2. archaic : a compartmented case or container or its contents; especially : a 13-bottle case of wine 3. archaic : a board set with zigzag pins between which wire is drawn to straighten it IV. verb (-ed/-ing/-s) Etymology: Middle English ridlen, riddlen, from riddil sieve transitive verb 1. : to separate (as grain from the chaff) with a riddle : pass through or as if through a riddle : screen, sift < riddled the coal to grade it by size > 2. a. : to fill (something or someone) as full of holes as a sieve : puncture often and thoroughly < he stood up, riddled them with fire and flopped down again — Dave Richardson > < riddled the ship with a broadside > < it had become badly riddled by termites — American Guide Series: Louisiana > b. : to spread throughout : permeate < the graft that riddles virtually every metropolitan police force — August Heckscher > < its lawn riddled with weeds — Bernard Kalb > intransitive verb : to use a riddle : sift through : penetrate, pierce < cold winds riddle through the thin walls > |