| 单词 |
riddle |
| 例句 |
riddle noun | verb
1 noun •an answer to the riddle:puzzle, conundrum, brainteaser, problem, unsolved problem, question, poser, enigma, mystery, quandary | informal stumper.CHOOSE THE RIGHT WORD riddle, conundrum, enigma, mystery, paradox, puzzle All of these terms imply something baffling or challenging. A mystery is anything that is incomprehensible to human reason, particularly if it invites speculation (•the mystery surrounding her sudden disappearance). An enigma is a statement whose meaning is hidden under obscure or ambiguous allusions, so that we can only guess at its significance; it can also refer to a person of puzzling or contradictory character (•he remained an enigma throughout his long career). A riddle is a mystery involving contradictory statements, with a hidden meaning designed to be guessed at (•the old riddle about how many college graduates it takes to change a light bulb). Conundrum applies specifically to a riddle phrased as a question, the answer to which usually involves a pun or a play on words, such as “What is black and white and read all over?”; conundrum can also refer to any puzzling or difficult situation. A paradox is a statement that seems self-contradictory or absurd, but in reality expresses a possible truth (•Francis Bacon's well-known paradox, “The most corrected copies are commonly the least correct”). A puzzle is not necessarily a verbal statement, but it presents a problem with a particularly baffling solution or tests one's ingenuity or skill in coming up with a solution (•a crossword puzzle).These notes show fine distinctions in meaning between closely related synonyms to help you find the best word.
2 verb 1.•his car was riddled by gunfire:perforate, pierce, puncture, pepper. 2.•he was riddled with cancer:permeate, suffuse, fill, pervade, spread through, imbue, saturate, overrun, beset. 3.•the soil must be riddled:sieve, sift, strain, screen, filter. |
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