addled


Also found in: Thesaurus, Idioms.

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.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

addled

(ˈædəld)
adj
1. confused or muddled
2. not working properly, making one confused or muddled
3. old-fashioned rotten
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

addled

, muddled - Addled refers to mental confusion; muddled is anything confused or in a mess.
See also related terms for mess.
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Adj.1.addled - (of eggs) no longer edibleaddled - (of eggs) no longer edible; "an addled egg"
stale - lacking freshness, palatability, or showing deterioration from age; "stale bread"; "the beer was stale"
2.addled - confused and vagueaddled - confused and vague; used especially of thinking; "muddleheaded ideas"; "your addled little brain"; "woolly thinking"; "woolly-headed ideas"
confused - mentally confused; unable to think with clarity or act intelligently; "the flood of questions left her bewildered and confused"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

addled

adjective confused, silly, foolish, at sea, bewildered, mixed-up, muddled, perplexed, flustered, befuddled You're talking to me like an addled romantic.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

addled

adjective
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations

addled

[ˈædld] ADJ
1. (= rotten) → huero, podrido
2. (= confused) [brain] → confuso, débil
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

addled

[ˈædəld] adj (British)
[egg] → pourri(e)
[brain] → brouillon(ne); [person] → aux idées confusesadd-on [ˈædɒn]
n
(= extra component) (for equipment, stereo, computer etc)option f
(= supplement) (to flight)supplément m
adj [fee, cost] → supplémentaire
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

addled

adj
brain, personbenebelt; (permanently) → verdummt
eggverdorben, faul
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
References in classic literature ?
But the excitement of cutting out the Arangi had been communicated to his addled brain, and, with vague reminiscent flashes of the strength of life triumphant, he shared deliriously in this triumph of Somo by applying himself to the curing of the head that was in itself the concrete expression of triumph.
But she counted and counted till she got that addled she'd start to count in the basket for a spoon sometimes; and so, three times they come out right, and three times they come out wrong.
She will sit incubating her gown -- pardon the expression -- like a hen over an addled egg.
"I know nothing about that," said Sancho; "all I know is it will be my bad luck that through not finding this head my county will melt away like salt in water;"- for Sancho awake was worse than his master asleep, so much had his master's promises addled his wits.
I, by the sovereign efficacy of my recommendation, got you the place where you are now living in clover, and yet not a word of gratitude, or even acknowledgment, have you ever offered in return; but I am coming to see you, and small conception can you, with your addled aristocratic brains, form of the sort of moral kicking I have, ready packed in my carpet-bag, destined to be presented to you immediately on my arrival.
Very thoughtful old John Willet was, while the dinner was preparing; and if his brain were ever less clear at one time than another, it is but reasonable to suppose that he addled it in no slight degree by shaking his head so much that day.
He was touched in the cavity where his heart should have been - in that nest of addled eggs, where the birds of heaven would have lived if they had not been whistled away - by the fervour of this reproach.
And he had failed to catch a hen pheasant on her nest; and it had contained only five eggs, two of them addled. Mr.
The poor soul was poring hard over a tattered book, with the traces of recent tears still upon his face; vainly endeavouring to master some task which a child of nine years old, possessed of ordinary powers, could have conquered with ease, but which, to the addled brain of the crushed boy of nineteen, was a sealed and hopeless mystery.
Now, if the cuckoo was obliged to sit on her own eggs, she would either have to sit on all together, and therefore leave those first laid so long, that they probably would become addled; or she would have to hatch separately each egg, or two eggs, as soon as laid: but as the cuckoo stays a shorter time in this country than any other migratory bird, she certainly would not have time enough for the successive hatchings.
it was addled," spluttered he, while the wood rang again with the merry laughter of East and Tom.
IT'S a silly sort of mental spoonerism but Farley Jackmaster Funk and Grandmaster Flash, in my addled Swiss-cheese grey matter, warped over time to become one and the same.