riddle, n. [OE. ridil, AS. hridder; akin to G. reiter, L. cribrum, and to Gr. to distinguish, separate, and G. rein clean. See Crisis, Certain.].

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]
A board having a row of pins, set zigzag, between which wire is drawn to straighten it. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]
To perforate so as to make like a riddle; to make many holes in; as, a house riddled with shot. [1913 Webster]

riddle, n. [For riddels, s being misunderstood as the plural ending; OE. ridels, redels. AS. rdels; akin to D. raadsel, G. räthsel; fr. AS. rdan to counsel or advise, also, to guess. 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." [1913 Webster]

"'T was a strange riddle of a lady." [1913 Webster]

riddle, v. t.

To explain; to solve; to unriddle. [1913 Webster]

"Riddle me this, and guess him if you can." [1913 Webster]

riddle, v. i.

To speak ambiguously or enigmatically. Shak. [1913 Webster]

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OXFORD DICTIONARY

riddle, n. & v.
--n.
1 a question or statement testing ingenuity in divining its answer or meaning.
2 a puzzling fact or thing or person.
--v.
1 intr. speak in or propound riddles.
2 tr. solve or explain (a riddle).

Derivative

riddler n.

riddle, v. & n.
--v.tr. (usu. foll. by with)
1 make many holes in, esp. with gunshot.
2 (in passive) fill; spread through; permeate (was riddled with errors).
3 pass through a riddle.
--n. a coarse sieve.

Etymology

OE hriddel, earlier hrider: cf. hridrian sift

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THESAURUS

riddle

Chinese puzzle, anagram, answer, arabesque, assort, auger, babble, baffle, bafflement, basketry, basketwork, be Greek to, be beyond one, be too deep, beat one, bewilderment, bite, blaze, blaze a trail, blemish, blotch, blow to pieces, blow up, bolt, bolter, bore, bother, bottom, brain, brand, bring down, broach, burn to death, cancellation, categorize, chalk, chalk up, charade, charge, check, check off, cicatrize, clarifier, classify, clear up, cock, colander, collate, confoundment, confusion, conundrum, cordon, cordon off, countersink, crack, cradle, cribble, cribriformity, cribrosity, cross-hatching, crossing-out, cull out, cut down, cut to pieces, dapple, dark horse, dash, deal a deathblow, debug, decipher, decode, define, delimit, demarcate, detonate, dilemma, discharge, discolor, discomposure, disconcert, disconcertedness, disconcertion, disconcertment, disentangle, disintegrate, disturbance, divide, divine, do, dope, dope out, dot, drill, drop, eject, embarrassment, empierce, engrave, enigma, escape one, explain, fathom, fell, figure out, filigree, fill, filter, find out, find the answer, find the solution, fire, fire off, fix, fleck, frag, freckle, fret, fretwork, frontier, frontiers of knowledge, gash, get, get right, ghettoize, gibber, gin, gore, gouge, gouge out, gradate, grade, grate, grating, grid, gridiron, grille, grillwork, group, guess, guess right, gun, gun down, gun for, hachure, hatch, hatching, have it, hit, hit it, hole, honeycomb, impale, impress, imprint, incinerate, infect, infest, insulate, interlacement, interpret, intertexture, intertwinement, isolate, jam, jugulate, keep apart, keep aside, lace, lacery, lacework, lacing, lance, lapidate, lattice, latticework, lay aside, lay low, let fly, let off, line, lixiviator, load, logogriph, lose one, make a mark, make out, mark, mark off, mark out, matter of ignorance, mesh, meshes, meshwork, mottle, mystery, mystification, n, need explanation, needle, net, netting, network, nick, nonplus, not make sense, not penetrate, notch, open the lock, pass comprehension, pelt, pencil, penetrate, pepper, percolator, perforate, permeate, perplex, perplexity, perturbation, pervade, pick off, pick out, pickle, pierce, pink, pistol, plexure, plexus, plight, plug, plumb, point, poleax, porosity, porousness, poser, pot, pother, potshoot, potshot, predicament, prick, prime, print, problem, psych, psych out, punch, punctuate, puncture, purifier, put aside, puzzle, puzzle out, puzzlement, quandary, quarantine, question, raddle, rank, ravel, ravel out, ream, ream out, rebus, refiner, refinery, resolve, reticle, reticulation, reticule, reticulum, rocker, run through, scar, scarify, score, scotch, scrape, scratch, screen, screening, seal, sealed book, seam, seclude, segregate, separate, set apart, set aside, shoot, shoot at, shoot down, shoot to death, shotgun, sieve, sievelikeness, sift, sifter, silence, size, skewer, snipe, solve, sort, sort out, sorter, speak in tongues, spear, speck, speckle, spike, spit, splotch, sponge, spot, spread, stab, stab to death, stain, stamp, stew, stick, stigmatize, stone, stone to death, strainer, streak, striate, strike, strike dead, stripe, subordinate, take a potshot, talk double Dutch, tap, tattoo, terra incognita, texture, the incalculable, the strange, the unfamiliar, the unknowable, the unknown, thrash, thresh, tick, tick off, tissue, torpedo, trace, tracery, transfix, transpierce, trellis, trelliswork, trepan, trephine, unassuredness, underline, underscore, undo, unexplored ground, unexplored territory, unknown quantity, unlock, unravel, unriddle, unscramble, untangle, untwist, unweave, upset, vaporize, wattle, weave, weaving, web, webbing, webwork, weft, why, wicker, wickerwork, winnow, winnowing basket, winnowing fan, winnowing machine, work, work out, x, z

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ROGET THESAURUS

riddle

Cleanness

N cleanness, cleanliness, purity, cleaning, purification, defecation, purgation, lustration, detersion, abstersion, epuration, mundation, ablution, lavation, colature, disinfection, drainage, sewerage, lavatory, laundry, washhouse, washerwoman, laundress, dhobi, laundryman, washerman, scavenger, dustman, sweep, white wings brush, broom, besom, mop, rake, shovel, sieve, riddle, screen, filter, blotter, napkin, cloth, maukin, malkin, handkerchief, towel, sudary, doyley, doily, duster, sponge, mop, swab, cover, drugget, wash, lotion, detergent, cathartic, purgative, purifier, disinfectant, aperient, benzene, benzine benzol, benolin, bleaching powder, chloride of lime, dentifrice, deobstruent, laxative, clean, cleanly, pure, immaculate, spotless, stainless, taintless, trig, without a stain, unstained, unspotted, unsoiled, unsullied, untainted, uninfected, sweet, sweet as a nut, neat, spruce, tidy, trim, gimp, clean as a new penny, like a cat in pattens, cleaned, kempt, abstergent, cathartic, cleansing, purifying, neatly, clean as a whistle.

Arrangement

N arrangement, plan, preparation, disposal, disposition, collocation, allocation, distribution, sorting, assortment, allotment, apportionment, taxis, taxonomy, syntaxis, graduation, organization, grouping, tabulation, analysis, classification, clustering, division, digestion, digest, synopsis, syntagma, table, atlas, file, database, register, organism, architecture, sieve, riddle, screen, sorter, arranged, embattled, in battle array, cut and dried, methodical, orderly, regular, systematic, In vast cumbrous array.

VB reduce to order, bring into order, introduce order into, rally, arrange, dispose, place, form, put in order, set in order, place in order, set out, collocate, pack, marshal, range, size, rank, group, parcel out, allot, distribute, deal, cast the parts, assign the parts, dispose of, assign places to, assort, sort, sift, riddle, put to rights, set to rights, put into shape, put in trim, put in array, apportion, class, classify, divide, file, string together, thread, register, catalogue, tabulate, index, graduate, digest, grade, methodize, regulate, systematize, coordinate, organize, settle, fix, unravel, disentangle, ravel, card, disembroil, feaze.

Opening

N opening, hole, foramen, puncture, perforation, fontanel, transforation, pinhole, keyhole, loophole, porthole, peephole, mousehole, pigeonhole, eye of a needle, eyelet, slot, opening, aperture, apertness, hiation, yawning, oscitancy, dehiscence, patefaction, pandiculation, chasm, embrasure, window, casement, abatjour, light, sky light, fan light, lattice, bay window, bow window, oriel, dormer, lantern, outlet, inlet, vent, vomitory, embouchure, orifice, mouth, sucker, muzzle, throat, gullet, weasand, wizen, nozzle, placket, portal, porch, gate, ostiary, postern, wicket, trapdoor, hatch, door, arcade, cellarway, driveway, gateway, doorway, hatchway, gangway, lich gate, way, path, thoroughfare, channel, passage, passageway, tube, pipe, water pipe, air pipe, vessel, tubule, canal, gut, fistula, adjutage, ajutage, ostium, smokestack, chimney, flue, tap, funnel, gully, tunnel, main, mine, pit, adit, shaft, gallery, alley, aisle, glade, vista, bore, caliber, pore, blind orifice, fulgurite, thundertube, porousness, porosity, sieve, cullender, colander, cribble, riddle, screen, honeycomb, apertion, perforation, piercing, terebration, empalement, pertusion, puncture, acupuncture, penetration, key, opener, master key, password, combination, passe- partout, open, perforated, perforate, wide open, ajar, unclosed, unstopped, oscitant, gaping, yawning, patent, tubular, cannular, fistulous, pervious, permeable, foraminous, vesicular, vasicular, porous, follicular, cribriform, honeycombed, infundibular, riddled, tubulous, tubulated, piped, tubate, opening, aperient, Int, open sesame!.

VB open, ope, gape, yawn, bilge, fly open, perforate, pierce, empierce, tap, bore, drill, mine, tunnel, transpierce, transfix, enfilade, impale, spike, spear, gore, spit, stab, pink, puncture, lance, stick, prick, riddle, punch, stave in, cut a passage through, make way for, make room for, uncover, unclose, unrip, lay open, cut open, rip open, throw open, pop open, blow open, pry open, tear open, pull open.

Unintelligibility

N unintelligibility, incomprehensibility, imperspicuity, inconceivableness, vagueness, obscurity, ambiguity, doubtful meaning, uncertainty, perplexity, spinosity, obscurum per obscurius, mystification, latency, transcendentalism, paradox, oxymoron, riddle, enigma, puzzle, diagnus vindice nodus, sealed book, steganography, freemasonry, pons asinorum, asses' bridge, high Dutch, Greek, Hebrew, jargon, unintelligible, unaccountable, undecipherable, undiscoverable, unknowable, unfathomable, incognizable, inexplicable, inscrutable, inapprehensible, incomprehensible, insolvable, insoluble, impenetrable, illegible, as Greek to one, unexplained, paradoxical, enigmatic, enigmatical, puzzling (secret), indecipherable, obscure, dark, muddy, clear as mud, seen through a mist, dim, nebulous, shrouded in mystery, opaque, dense, undiscernible, misty, hidden, latent, indefinite, garbled, perplexed, undetermined, vague, loose, ambiguous, mysterious, mystic, mystical, acroamatic, acroamatical, metempirical, transcendental, occult, recondite, abstruse, crabbed, inconceivable, inconceptible, searchless, above comprehension, beyond comprehension, past comprehension, beyond one's depth, unconceived, inexpressible, undefinable, incommunicable, unpredictable, unforeseeable, it's Greek to me.

Secret

N secret, dead secret, profound secret, arcanum, mystery, latency, Asian mystery, sealed book, secrets of the prison house, le desous des cartes, enigma, riddle, puzzle, nut to crack, conundrum, charade, rebus, logogriph, monogram, anagram, Sphinx, crux criticorum, maze, labyrinth, Hyrcynian wood, intricacy, meander, problem, paradox, unintelligibility, terra incognita, secret, involved, labyrinthine, labyrinthian, mazy, confidential, top secret.

Also see definition of "riddle" in Bible Study Dictionaries