Definition

1. Noun:

   • A red iron ore used in dyeing and marking: "Raddle" refers to a type of red ochre, a natural earth pigment containing iron oxide, traditionally used to color or mark things.

2. Verb:

   • To mark or paint with raddle: To apply this red pigment to something for the purpose of coloring, marking, or staining.
   • To twist or braid together, interlace: To weave or intertwine strands or materials together. (Note: This meaning is less common and often considered archaic or dialectal.)

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • The shepherd used raddle to mark the sheep.
  • The artist sourced natural raddle for her pigments.

• Verb (to mark):

  • Farmers would raddle the wool of selected ewes.
  • The old fence was raddled with the rusty pigment.

• Verb (to interlace):

  • She learned to raddle the reeds to make a sturdy basket. (Archaic/Dialectal usage)

Advanced Usage

• "Raddled" (Adjective): This is a common derivative describing a face, especially that of a woman, that is heavily or crudely made up with rouge or cosmetics, often implying a worn or disheveled appearance.
  • Her raddled cheeks stood out in the dim light.
  • He was shocked by her raddled appearance after years of hard living.

Variants and Related Words

• Reddle / Ruddle: Alternative nouns with the same meaning as the pigment.
• Raddled (adj.): As described above, meaning coarsely or excessively made-up, or appearing worn.

Synonyms

• Noun (for the pigment): Red ochre, ruddle, reddle.
• Verb (to mark): Daub, stain, mark, color.
• Verb (to interlace): Weave, intertwine, braid, plait.

Phrasal Verbs

(Not commonly used with phrasal verbs)

Related Idioms

(No common idioms directly use the word "raddle")

Noun

1. a red iron ore used in dyeing and marking

Verb

1. mark or paint with raddle
2. twist or braid together, interlace