addle
1addle — addle, addled The usual word now is addled, and is applied (a) to eggs, and (b) figuratively, to brains (i.e. the mind). Originally, addle was a noun meaning ‘stinking urine or other liquid filth’, although its associations have usually been with …
2Addle — Ad dle, v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. {Addled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Addling}.] To make addle; to grow addle; to muddle; as, he addled his brain. Their eggs were addled. Cowper. [1913 Webster] …
3addle — (v.) 1712, from addle (n.) urine, liquid filth, from O.E. adela mud, mire, liquid manure (cognate with O.Swed. adel urine, M.L.G. adel, Du. aal puddle ). Used in noun phrase addle egg (mid 13c.) egg that does not hatch, rotten egg, lit. urine egg …
4Addle — Ad dle, v. t. & i. [OE. adlen, adilen, to gain, acquire; prob. fr. Icel. [ o][eth]lask to acquire property, akin to o[eth]al property. Cf. {Allodial}.] 1. To earn by labor. [Prov. Eng.] Forby. [1913 Webster] 2. To thrive or grow; to ripen. [Prov …
5addle — [ad′ l] adj. [ME adel in adel eye, addle egg, transl. of L ovum urinae, egg of urine, confused form of ovum urinum (a rendering of Gr ourion ōon, wind egg) < OE adela; akin to MLowG adele, mud] 1. rotten: said of an egg 2. muddled; confused:… …
6Addle — Ad dle, n. [OE. adel, AS. adela, mud.] [1913 Webster] 1. Liquid filth; mire. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] 2. Lees; dregs. [Prov. Eng.] Wright. [1913 Webster] …
7Addle — Ad dle, a. Having lost the power of development, and become rotten, as eggs; putrid. Hence: Unfruitful or confused, as brains; muddled. Dryden. [1913 Webster] …
8addle — index confuse (bewilder), decay, discompose, muddle, obfuscate, spoil (impair) Burton s Legal Thesaurus …
9addle — muddle, *confuse, fuddle, befuddle Analogous words: confound, dumbfound, nonplus, bewilder (see PUZZLE): amaze, flabbergast, astound (see SURPRISE): fluster, flurry, agitate, upset (see DISCOMPOSE) Antonyms: refresh (mentally) Contrasted words:… …
10addle — ► VERB 1) confuse. 2) (addled) (of an egg) rotten. ► ADJECTIVE ▪ unsound; muddled. ORIGIN from Old English, «liquid filth» …
