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.

2. To perforate so as to make like a riddle; to make many holes in; as, a house riddled with shot.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

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 by guessing or conjecture; a puzzling question; an ambiguous proposition; an enigma; hence, anything ambiguous or puzzling.

To wring from me, and tell to them, my secret, That solved the riddle which I had proposed. --Milton.

'T was a strange riddle of a lady. --Hudibras.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Riddle \Rid"dle\, n. [OE. ridil, AS. hridder; akin to G. reiter, L. cribrum, and to Gr. ??? 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.

2. A board having a row of pins, set zigzag, between which wire is drawn to straighten it.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Riddle \Rid"dle\, v. t. To explain; to solve; to unriddle.

Riddle me this, and guess him if you can. --Dryden.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Riddle \Rid"dle\, v. i. To speak ambiguously or enigmatically. ``Lysander riddels very prettily.'' --Shak.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)