riddle (subs.) Copy link Outline I. An enigma1. aenigma, ătis, n. (αἴνιγμα2. scirpus3. grīphus (γρῖφος)4. expr. sometimes by ambāges, um, f. pl. (with abl. sing. ambage; an obscure, dark saying)II. crībrum • riddle (subs.): I. An enigma: 1. aenigma, ătis, n. (αἴνιγμα: Cic. Att. 6, 7, uses the Gk. phr. ἐν αἰνιγμοῖς): to speak r.s, a. loqui, Plin. Ep. 7, 13: the dark imagery and r.s of dreams, obscuritates et a. somniorum, Cic. Div. 2, 64, 132: the r.s of the law, a. jurum, Juv. 8, 50. 2. scirpus: (acc. to Gell. 12, 6, a trans. of the preced.). 3. grīphus (γρῖφος): to solve r.s, g. dissolvere, Gell. 1, 2, 4. 4. expr. sometimes by ambāges, um, f. pl. (with abl. sing. ambage; an obscure, dark saying): the r.s of an obscure oracle, obscurae sortis a., Ov. F. 4, 261: in r.s, per ambages, Liv. 1, 56: Tac. Phr.: to utter r.s, obscura canere, Hor. S. 2, 5, 58. II. crībrum: v. sieve.
riddle (v.) Copy link Outline I. To speak enigmaticallyII. To siftIII. To pierce full of holes • riddle (v.): I. To speak enigmatically: expr. by aenigmata loqui, v. preced. art. II. To sift: cerno, crēvi, crētum, 3: v. sift. III. To pierce full of holes: nearest word, confŏdio, fōdi, fossum, 3: to be r.d with wounds, confodi vulneribus, Liv. 24, 7: r.d by so many judicial sentences, tot judiciis confossus, id. 5, 11; Pl. Phr.: r.d with wounds, plenus vulnerum, Liv. 5, 11: a criminal r.d like a sieve by the hangmen, carnificium cribrum, Pl. Most. 1, 1, 52.
RIDDLE Copy link • RIDDLE 1. s. A puzzling question, enigma, aenigma, -atis (Cic.): griphus (an artificial and puzzling combination of words, used by the Greeks at their entertainments; the word is employed with reference to Greeks, Gell., 1, 2, 4; Apul., Flor.): ambages (a dark and obscure expression; e.g., Liv., 1, 24). To propose a riddle, *aliquem aenigma solvere jubere; *aenigma alicui interpretandum, explicandum, proponere. To solve a riddle, aenigma solvere (Ruhnken), interpretari, explicare: griphum dissolvere: not to understand a riddle, aenigma non intelligere. Figuratively, Riddles, verba caecis latebris obscura (Ov., Met., 1, 388); sermones perplexi (Liv., 40, 5). It is all a riddle to me, hoc vero obscurum mihi est; hoc mihi non liquet; hoc non intelligo: it is a complete riddle, hoc nemo conjectura assequi potest; hoc nemini liquet. To speak in riddles, aenigmata loqui (Plin., Ep., 7, 12). A coarse sieve, cribrum (carbonarium). 2. v. To sift, cribrare: cribro subcernere.