riddled
riddled — adjective
- riddledpositive
- more riddledcomparative
- most riddledsuperlative
1. containing a very large amount of something unpleasant, such as holes made by bu
containing a very large amount of something unpleasant, such as holes made by bullets, or full of mistakes, problems, or things that should not be there.
The old car was riddled with rust after twenty years of rain and winter salt.
riddled with + [unwanted substance]
Critics said the government's housing plan was riddled with errors from the very start.
The wooden target at the shooting range was riddled with bullet holes after just one afternoon.
Her report was riddled with contradictions that the committee chair pointed out one by one.
The abandoned warehouse was riddled with broken windows and crawling with rats.
- full of
neutral register; can be used with both good and bad things
- infested with
stronger negative tone; used for pests, disease, or crime
- strewn with
suggests things are scattered loosely across a surface
- pristine
completely clean and in perfect condition
文法句型
be riddled with + [unwanted thing]
用法筆記
Almost always used in the pattern 'riddled with [something unwanted]'. The subject is usually a physical object, a plan, an argument, or an organisation.
常見錯誤
riddled — verb
- riddledpresent simple I / you / we / they
- riddleds3rd person singular
- riddledding-ing form
- riddleddedpast simple
1. to speak in a way that is deliberately mysterious, ambiguous, or difficult to un
to speak in a way that is deliberately mysterious, ambiguous, or difficult to understand, often to avoid giving a direct answer.
The old prophet would riddle rather than give a straight answer to the king's questions.
archaic: riddle (verb) = speak mysteriously
Instead of explaining clearly, the oracle would riddle in verses that priests spent days interpreting.
When asked about the treasure, the old sailor just riddled and smiled, leaving the men confused.
The fortune teller would riddle whenever visitors asked about their future.
- speak in riddles
the modern phrasal equivalent; much more common
- speak plainly
to say what you mean directly
用法筆記
This sense is archaic and rarely used in modern English. It appears mainly in historical fiction, fantasy, or poetic writing.
2. to find the answer or explanation for a puzzling question or mystery.
to find the answer or explanation for a puzzling question or mystery.
The young scholar finally riddled the ancient mystery that had confused kings for centuries.
riddle + [complex problem] = solve
It took the detective three months to riddle the meaning of the coded message left at the scene.
No one in the village could riddle the strange inscription carved into the stone at the well.
The team worked together to riddle the puzzle that had stumped every previous group of students.
- confuse
to make something unclear
文法句型
riddle + [puzzle/question]
用法筆記
Archaic. Modern English would use 'solve' or 'figure out' instead of 'riddle' in this sense.
3. to present someone with a difficult or confusing problem that leaves them unable
to present someone with a difficult or confusing problem that leaves them unable to understand or explain it.
The strange behaviour of the compass needles riddled the explorers, who had no explanation for it.
riddle + [person] = confuse
The philosopher's final argument riddled his students, who debated its meaning for weeks afterward.
The sudden disappearance of the ship riddled everyone in the port town, and no theory seemed to fit.
The riddle the old traveller told us completely riddled our group for the rest of the evening.
- enlighten
to give someone understanding or clarity
文法句型
riddle + [person]
用法筆記
Archaic and very rare in modern English. Use 'puzzle', 'baffle', or 'confuse' instead in everyday speech and writing.
4. to separate larger pieces of grain, soil, or other material from smaller pieces
to separate larger pieces of grain, soil, or other material from smaller pieces by passing them through a coarse sieve or screen.
The workers riddled the wheat to remove the husks before grinding it into flour.
Before planting, the gardener riddled the soil to take out the larger stones and roots.
riddle + soil + to remove
Farmers traditionally riddled the barley three times to ensure only the finest grains reached the mill.
The miller riddled the oats twice to separate the chaff from the edible grain.
- mix
to combine rather than separate
文法句型
riddle + [grain/soil] + from + [unwanted material]
用法筆記
Archaic. In modern English, 'sift', 'strain', or 'screen' are the usual verbs.
5. to make many small holes through something, especially by shooting bullets or ot
to make many small holes through something, especially by shooting bullets or other projectiles through it.
The rebels riddled the abandoned truck with bullets after mistaking it for a military vehicle.
The old metal sign at the firing range had been riddled by years of target practice.
passive: be riddled by [something]
Woodpeckers had riddled the dead tree trunk with hundreds of small holes over several seasons.
The termites riddled the wooden floorboards so badly that the boards had to be replaced entirely.
- patch
to cover or repair holes
文法句型
riddle + [object] + with + [projectiles/holes]
用法筆記
This verb is the origin of the common adjective 'riddled'. Often used in the passive voice ('the wall was riddled with bullet holes').
常見錯誤
6. to spread through every part of something, especially an organisation, system, o
to spread through every part of something, especially an organisation, system, or society, typically with negative effects.
A culture of secrecy riddled the entire department and made reform almost impossible.
Deep corruption riddled the national police force, from the lowest officer to the highest commander.
Inefficiency riddled every level of the old government, causing delays that frustrated ordinary citizens.
Deep internal rivalries riddled the organisation and stopped it from reaching its stated goals.
- purge
to remove unwanted elements from something
文法句型
be riddled with + [abstract quality]
用法筆記
Often used in the passive with 'with' for abstract negative qualities (corruption, inefficiency, secrecy, doubt). Very similar in meaning to the adjective sense but grammatically verbal.