ADDLING

Etymology 1

Noun

addling (uncountable)

Alternative form of addlings (earnings).

Etymology 2

Noun

addling (uncountable)

The act of causing fertilised eggs to lose viability, by killing the developing embryo within through shaking, piercing, freezing or oiling, without breaking the shell or other outer layer.

Verb

addling

present participle of addle.

Source: Wiktionary


ADDLE

Ad"dle, n. Etym: [OE. adel, AS. adela, mud.]

1. Liquid filth; mire. [Obs.]

2. Lees; dregs. [Prov. Eng.] Wright.

Ad"dle, a.

Definition: Having lost the power of development, and become rotten, as eggs; putrid. Hence: Unfruitful or confused, as brains; muddled. Dryden.

Ad"dle, v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Addled; p. pr. & vb. n. Addling.]

Definition: To make addle; to grow addle; to muddle; as, he addled his brain. "Their eggs were addled." Cowper.

Ad"dle, v. t. & i. Etym: [OE. adlen, adilen, to gain, acquire; prob. fr. Icel. ö\'eblask to acquire property, akin to othal property. Cf. Allodial.]

1. To earn by labor. [Prov. Eng.] Forby.

2. To thrive or grow; to ripen. [Prov. Eng.] Kill ivy, else tree will addle no more. Tusser.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

17 April 2025

SPONGE

(noun) a porous mass of interlacing fibers that forms the internal skeleton of various marine animals and usable to absorb water or any porous rubber or cellulose product similarly used


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Coffee Trivia

According to Guinness World Records, the largest collection of coffee pots belongs to Robert Dahl (Germany) and consists of 27,390 coffee pots as of 2 November 2012, in Rövershagen, Germany.

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