Search Result for "riddle": 
Wordnet 3.0

NOUN (2)

1. a difficult problem;
[syn: riddle, conundrum, enigma, brain-teaser]

2. a coarse sieve (as for gravel);


VERB (6)

1. pierce with many holes;
- Example: "The bullets riddled his body"

2. set a difficult problem or riddle;
- Example: "riddle me a riddle"

3. separate with a riddle, as grain from chaff;
[syn: riddle, screen]

4. spread or diffuse through;
- Example: "An atmosphere of distrust has permeated this administration"
- Example: "music penetrated the entire building"
- Example: "His campaign was riddled with accusations and personal attacks"
[syn: permeate, pervade, penetrate, interpenetrate, diffuse, imbue, riddle]

5. speak in riddles;

6. explain a riddle;


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Riddle \Rid"dle\, v. t. To explain; to solve; to unriddle. [1913 Webster] Riddle me this, and guess him if you can. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Riddle \Rid"dle\, v. i. To speak ambiguously or enigmatically. "Lysander riddles very prettily." --Shak. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Riddle \Rid"dle\ (r[i^]d"d'l), n. [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.] 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. [1913 Webster] 2. A board having a row of pins, set zigzag, between which wire is drawn to straighten it. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Riddle \Rid"dle\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Riddled (r[i^]d"d'ld); p. pr. & vb. n. Riddling (r[i^]d"dl[i^]ng).] 1. To separate, as grain from the chaff, with a riddle; to pass through a riddle; as, riddle wheat; to riddle coal or gravel. [1913 Webster] 2. To perforate so as to make like a riddle; to make many holes in; as, a house riddled with shot. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Riddle \Rid"dle\, n. [For riddels, s being misunderstood as the plural ending; OE. ridels, redels. AS. r[=ae]dels; akin to D. raadsel, G. r[aum]thsel; fr. AS. r[=ae]dan to counsel or advise, also, to guess. [root]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. [1913 Webster] To wring from me, and tell to them, my secret, That solved the riddle which I had proposed. --Milton. [1913 Webster] 'T was a strange riddle of a lady. --Hudibras. [1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

riddle n 1: a difficult problem [syn: riddle, conundrum, enigma, brain-teaser] 2: a coarse sieve (as for gravel) v 1: pierce with many holes; "The bullets riddled his body" 2: set a difficult problem or riddle; "riddle me a riddle" 3: separate with a riddle, as grain from chaff [syn: riddle, screen] 4: 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" [syn: permeate, pervade, penetrate, interpenetrate, diffuse, imbue, riddle] 5: speak in riddles 6: explain a riddle