riddle

riddle
\ \ [OE] English has two separate words riddle. The ‘puzzling’ sort of riddle is etymologically something you ‘read’. For it originated as a derivative of Old English rǣdan, the ancestor of modern English read. One of its earlier meanings was ‘interpret’ – hence riddle. Riddlesieve’ goes back to a prehistoric German khrid- ‘shake’, which also produced German dialect reitersieve’. It is also related to Latin crībrumsieve’ and cernereseparate’ (source of English decree, discern, secret, etc).
\ \ Cf.READ; CERTAIN, DECREE, DISCERN, SECRET

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Riddle — ist der Familienname folgender Personen: Albert G. Riddle (1816–1902), US amerikanischer Politiker George R. Riddle (1817–1867), US amerikanischer Politiker Hal Riddle (1919–2009), US amerikanischer Schauspieler und Sammler Haywood Yancey Riddle… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Riddle — 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. [1913 Webster] 2. To perforate so as to make like a …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Riddle — Rid dle, n. [For riddels, s being misunderstood as the plural ending; OE. ridels, redels. AS. r?dels; akin to D. raadsel, G. r[ a]thsel; fr. AS. r?dan to counsel or advise, also, to guess. [root]116. Cf. {Read}.] Something proposed to be solved… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Riddle — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda La palabra riddle viene del inglés y significa adivinanza. Los riddles son juegos de lógica estructrurados en niveles que permiten poner a prueba las capacidades de deducción, imaginación, lógica, capacidad de… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Riddle — Riddle, OR U.S. city in Oregon Population (2000): 1014 Housing Units (2000): 406 Land area (2000): 0.667267 sq. miles (1.728214 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.667267 sq. miles (1.728214 sq.… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Riddle, OR — U.S. city in Oregon Population (2000): 1014 Housing Units (2000): 406 Land area (2000): 0.667267 sq. miles (1.728214 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.667267 sq. miles (1.728214 sq. km) FIPS code …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • riddle — Ⅰ. riddle [1] ► NOUN 1) a question or statement phrased so as to require ingenuity in finding its answer or meaning. 2) a puzzling person or thing. ► VERB archaic ▪ speak in or pose riddles. DERIVATIVES riddler noun …   English terms dictionary

  • 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

  • riddle — [n] brain teaser bewilderment, braintwister*, charade, closed book*, complexity, complication, confusion, conundrum, cryptogram, dilemma, distraction, doubt, embarrassment, enigma, entanglement, intricacy, knotty question*, labyrinth, maze,… …   New thesaurus

  • riddle — riddle1 [rid′ l] n. [ME ridil < OE rædels, akin to rædan, to guess, READ1] 1. a problem or puzzle in the form of a question, statement, etc. so formulated that some ingenuity is required to solve or answer it; conundrum 2. any puzzling,… …   English World dictionary

  • Riddle — Rid dle, v. i. To speak ambiguously or enigmatically. Lysander riddels very prettily. Shak. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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