riddle English · revision 1039

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈɹɪdəl/; /ˈɹɪɾəl/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ ''Riddle'' “puzzle” is [[inh|enm|redels]], [[inh|ang|rǣdels|t=opinion, counsel, riddle]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) from ''rǣdan'' “to advise, interpret”, the source of [[read]],^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) with the noun suffix ''-els'';^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) the final ''-s'' was later taken for a plural ending and dropped.^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) It is related to [[de|Rätsel]] and [[nl|raadsel]].^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) ''Riddle'' “coarse sieve” is [[inh|ang|hriddel]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) altered from ''hridder'',^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) from the Proto-Indo-European root ''*krei-'' “to sieve”,^(AHD)^(Etymonline) and related to [[la|crībrum|t=sieve]].^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A question or statement worded in a deliberately puzzling way, to be guessed (c. 1000).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense of anything that puzzles or perplexes dates from 1377,^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) and an enigmatic person from 1663.^(OED 1989) The verb, “to speak in riddles”, is from 1571.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate) The sieve word gave the verb ''riddle'' “to sift” (before 1225),^(OED 1989) and from the many holes of a sieve came “to pierce with many holes”, recorded from 1817, especially in ''riddled with'' bullets or holes.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) From this developed the figurative “to spread throughout, permeate”, as in ''riddled with errors''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1000 – a puzzling question.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * before 1100 – a coarse sieve.^(OED 1989)

+ * before 1225 – verb, to sift.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1377 – something that puzzles.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1571 – verb, to speak in riddles.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1817 – to pierce with holes.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A question or statement that requires thought to answer or understand; a [[conundrum]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Something or someone puzzling; an [[enigma]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A coarse [[sieve]], as for gravel or grain.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To pierce with many holes; to [[perforate]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To spread throughout; to [[permeate]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To pass (gravel or grain) through a coarse sieve.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To speak in riddles, or to solve or explain (a riddle).^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[riddler]]

+ * [[unriddle]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[read]]

+ * [[rede]]

+ * [[enigma]]

+ * [[crisis]]

+ * [[sieve]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}