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ad·dle

(ădl)

v. ad·dled, ad·dling, ad·dles

v.tr.

To cause (someone) to think unclearly; confuse: "My brain is a bit addled by whiskey" (Eugene O'Neill). See Synonyms at befuddle.

v.intr.

1. To become confused.

2. To become rotten, as an egg.

[From Middle English adel, rotten, from Old English adel, pool of excrement.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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