▪ I. ˈriddling, vbl. n.1
[f. riddle v.1 + -ing1.]
The propounding of a riddle or riddles; also, an instance of this, † a riddle. Also attrib.
| 1483 Cath. Angl. 307/2 A Rydellynge (A. Ridyllynge), enigma. 1611 Middleton & Dekker Roaring Girl D.'s Wks. 1873 IV. 184 What..meanes this ridling? 1671 Milton Samson 1064 Be less abstruse, my riddling days are past. 1812 Sporting Mag. XXXIX. 110 The laughable exercises of blindman's buff, riddling, and question and command. 1872 Tennyson Gareth & Lynette 279 Know ye not then the Riddling of the Bards? 1969 G. M. Brown Orkney Tapestry 60 Into the riddling region where gods and men negotiated only an elite could trespass—men who had made a long study of the black arts. |
▪ II. ˈriddling, vbl. n.2
[f. riddle v.2 + -ing1.]
1. The action of sifting or separating by means of a riddle. Also fig.
| 1603 Owen Pembrokeshire xi. (1892) 90 Then the seconde ridlinge with a smaler Ridle. 1688 Holme Armoury iii. 74/1 Ridling, is a sifting the corn from the chaff. 1839 Ure Dict. Arts 814 This operation by the hand-sieve, is called riddling in the tub, or riddling by deposit. 1850 Carlyle Latter-d. Pamph. i. (1872) 39 By manœuvring of ballotboxes, and riddling of the popular clamour. 1891 Athenæum 15 Aug. 223/1 Some day..some patient person will take these six volumes, and, by severe riddling first and compressing afterwards, get them into one or two. |
2. pl. The coarser or less valuable parts which are separated by the riddle; siftings, screenings.
| 1600 Surflet Countrie Farme i. xxv, By that part of increase which the farmer spareth in his fodder, siftings, ridlings, and such other things. a 1796 Burns Poet. Wks. (W. S. Douglas) p. lxxi, God has riddled the hale creation, and flung the riddlings on Ellisland! 1824 T. Hogg The Carnation 34 The coarse parts or riddlings..would not pass through the sieve. 1844 H. Stephens Bk. Farm III. 1125 The riddlings, or small potatoes, are used on the farm. 1866 Blackmore Cradock Nowell xxxvi, Small-coals men..buy the crushings and riddlings by the sack. 1894 Labour Commission Gloss., Riddlings, the portions of lime rejected from the slaking because they are too coarse or strong or ill-burned. |
| transf. 1824 Galt Rothelan III. 117 It was in truth an epitome of the world—the riddlings of all nations. 1851 Madden Shrines & Sepulchres II. 544 The riddlings of society in the sea-ports, and the capitals. |
3. = reckling.
| 1850 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. XI. ii. 598 There is generally one small pig in every litter, called the riddling. |
Add: [1.] b. Wine-making. In méthode champenoise, the action or process of turning a wine bottle periodically to move sediment towards the cork; = remuage n.
| 1946 Encycl. Brit. V. 216/1 The repeated action, called ‘riddling’, shifts the sediment along the glass until it comes to rest on the cork. 1961 Times 23 Dec. 7/6 What is riddling?.. The gentle but regular twisting and turning of bottles of champagne to encourage the unwanted sediment created during fermentation to settle on the cork. 1976 National Observer (U.S.) 4 Dec. 8/4 French experts like Maudière and Lucien Dambron..came out of retirement to teach the American workers the art of riddling, or turning bottles to maneuver sediment onto the corks. 1987 N. Rankin Dead Man's Chest 175 Their Schramsberg Winery..revolutionized California sparkling wines, using..méthode champenoise with all its arts of terrage, riddling and disgorging. |
▪ III. ˈriddling, ppl. a.
[f. riddle v.1 + -ing2.]
1. Speaking in riddles; uttering or dealing in riddles; ambiguous or enigmatic in expression.
| 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, ii. iii. 57 This is a Riddling Merchant for the nonce. 1592 ― Rom. & Jul. ii. iii. 56 Riddling confession, findes but ridling shrift. 1655 Fuller Ch. Hist. x. xvii. 37 That ridd'ling Letter brought him the first notice thereof. 1748 W. Melmoth Fitzosborne Lett. (1749) I. 10 Your grave friend..who reproached you..for your riddling genius. 1838 J. Sterling Ess., etc. (1848) I. 205 He intimated the state of the case in these riddling lines. 1869 Tennyson Coming of Arthur 401 He [Merlin] laugh'd.., and answer'd me In riddling triplets of old time. |
2. That is or presents a riddle; dark, enigmatic, obscure, puzzling.
| 1627 Donne Serm. v. 45 Under that..Riddling Distemper. Ibid. 47 Riddling and entangling Perplexities of the Schooles. 1654 Whitlock Zootomia 558 When the most intricate and ridling Articles of our Creed shall shine in glorious and undoubted satisfactions. 1718 Rowe tr. Lucan vii. 27 Perhaps, the riddling Visions of the Night With Contrarieties delude our Sight. 1789 T. Twiss Treat. Poetry (1812) II. 325 note, Dante has a riddling metaphorical expression of the same kind. 1837 C. Wordsw. Misc. (1879) I. 5 Mural arabesques of Japanese jugglery, or riddling hieroglyphics. 1856 R. S. Vaughan Mystics (1860) II. xiii. i. 251 Its material, remote and riddling to the lower apprehension of common minds. |
3. That expounds riddles; divining.
| 1590 Spenser F.Q. iii. xi. 54 She..could not construe it By any ridling skill, or commune wit. 1827 Hood Mids. Fairies lviii, Purblind men..In riddling wonder his great bones survey. 1865 Swinburne Chastelard i. ii. 31 A..riddling skill at love. |
Hence ˈriddlingly adv.
| 1593 Donne Sat. ii. 8 Wks. (Grosart) I. 19 Poetry..like the Pestilens or old fashiond loue It [doth] ridlingly catch men and doth remove Neuer. a 1631 ― Lett. Persons of Honour (1651) 79, I..am riddlingly subject to two contrary wrackes, sinking and oversetting. 1875 Browning Aristoph. Apol. 296 Heyday! How riddlingly that hint returns. |