riddle

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 ]

n. [ For riddels, s being misunderstood as the plural ending; OE. ridels, redels. AS. r&aemacr_;dels; akin to D. raadsel, G. räthsel; fr. AS. r&aemacr_;dan to counsel or advise, also, to guess. √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 ]

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

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

v. i. To speak ambiguously or enigmatically. “Lysander riddles very prettily.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who riddles (grain, sand, etc.). [ 1913 Webster ]