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. 谜语

All comers to the Sphinx were asked a riddle, and failure to solve it meant death. 所有来到斯芬克斯面前的人都被问了一个谜语，解答不了就意味着死亡。

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. 谜

Scientists claimed yesterday to have solved the riddle of the birth of the universe. 科学家们昨天宣布已经解开了宇宙诞生之谜。

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

4. V-T If someone riddles something with bullets or bullet holes, they fire a lot of bullets into it. (用子弹) 把…打得千疮百孔

Unknown attackers riddled two homes with gunfire. 不明来路的袭击者用枪把两座房屋打得千疮百孔。

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

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