addled

Word Origin & History

1712, from addle (n.) "urine, liquid filth," from Old English adela "mud, mire, liquid manure" (cognate with Old Swedish adel "urine," Middle Low German adel, Dutch aal "puddle").

Used in noun phrase addle egg (mid-13c.) "egg that does not hatch, rotten egg," literally "urine egg," a loan-translation of Latin ovum urinum, which is itself an erroneous loan-translation of Greek ourion oon "putrid egg," literally "wind egg," from ourios "of the wind" (confused by Roman writers with ourios "of urine," from ouron "urine"). Because of this usage, from c.1600 the noun in English was taken as an adjective meaning "putrid," and thence given a figurative extension to "empty, vain, idle," also "confused, muddled, unsound" (1706). The verb followed a like course. Related: Addled; addling.

Example Sentences foraddled

Have you sense enough in your addled pate to understand that, man?

Stepping into their nests, they paddled, Themselves were chill'd, their eggs were addled.

Hit Bob a crack over the head and addled him so he ain't at himself yet.

The effort to solve the Big Bow Mystery may have addled his brain.

His brain must be addled by having had too much to drink this morning.

Come, tell me in what decent tavern you have addled your brain?

"That his wit's just addled; may be wi' unbelief and heathenry," quoth she.

There were two addled eggs, which he brought down in safety.

His "pockets should always be full, or my golden eggs are addled."

Who caused all the addled eggs in London to fly in their innocent faces?

addled

dizzy

dull

duller

muddle-headed

muddled

muddy

reeling

tipsy

addled

More words related to addled