Word of the Day

: February 24, 2008

raddled

adjective RAD-uld

What It Means

1 : being in a state of confusion : lacking composure

2 : broken-down, worn

raddled in Context

We were met at the door by a raddled old man who turned out to be the actor's father, and who in his day had also been an estimable presence on the London stage.

Did You Know?

How "raddled" came to mean "old and worn" isn't known for sure, but etymologists have some theories. One possibility is an association with raddle, a red coloring matter that was used to mark animals. From this, "raddled" came to mean "heavily made up with rouge" -- a condition that sometimes causes the makeup wearer to appear older and more haggard instead of more attractive. "Raddled" predates the similar-sounding adjective "rattled," which means "confused or upset" and comes from the verb "rattle." "Raddled" first appeared in print in 1694, and "rattled" didn't appear until the early 1900s.