riddle

1. N-COUNT A riddle is a puzzle or joke in which you ask a question that seems to be nonsense but which has a clever or amusing answer. 謎語

All comers to the Sphinx were asked a riddle, and failure to solve it meant death. 所有來到斯芬尅斯麪前的人都被問了一個(gè)謎語，解答不了就意味著死亡。

2. N-COUNT You can describe something as a riddle if people have been trying to understand or explain it but have not been able to. 謎

Scientists claimed yesterday to have solved the riddle of the birth of the universe. 科學(xué)家們昨天宣佈已經(jīng)解開了宇宙誕生之謎。

3. V to solve, explain, or interpret (a riddle or riddles) 猜(謎); 解(謎)

4. V-T If someone riddles something with bullets or bullet holes, they fire a lot of bullets into it. (用子彈) 把…打得千瘡百孔

Unknown attackers riddled two homes with gunfire. 不明來路的襲擊者用槍把兩座房屋打得千瘡百孔。

5. N a sieve, esp a coarse one used for sand, grain, etc 粗篩

6. V-T to put through a sieve; sift