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Muddle vs Ruddle - What's the difference?

muddle | ruddle |

As verbs the difference between muddle and ruddle

is that muddle is to mix together, to mix up; to confuse while ruddle is to mark something with red ochre.

As nouns the difference between muddle and ruddle

is that muddle is a mixture; a confusion; a garble while ruddle is a form of red ochre sometimes used to mark sheep.

muddle

English

Verb

(muddl)
  • To mix together, to mix up; to confuse.
  • Young children tend to muddle their words.
  • To mash slightly for use in a cocktail.
  • He muddled the mint sprigs in the bottom of the glass.
  • To dabble in mud.
  • (Jonathan Swift)
  • To make turbid or muddy.
  • * L'Estrange
  • He did ill to muddle the water.
  • To think and act in a confused, aimless way.
  • To cloud or stupefy; to render stupid with liquor; to intoxicate partially.
  • * Bentley
  • Their old master Epicurus seems to have had his brains so muddled and confounded with them, that he scarce ever kept in the right way.
  • * Arbuthnot
  • often drunk, always muddled
  • To waste or misuse, as one does who is stupid or intoxicated.
  • * Hazlitt
  • They muddle it [money] away without method or object, and without having anything to show for it.

    Derived terms

    * muddler (agent noun) * muddle along * muddle through * muddle up

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A mixture; a confusion; a garble.
  • The muddle of nervous speech he uttered did not have much meaning.

    Derived terms

    * muddle-headed

    ruddle

    English

    Etymology 1

    (en)

    Noun

    (-)
  • A form of red ochre sometimes used to mark sheep
  • Synonyms
    * raddle * reddle
    Derived terms
    * ruddleman

    Verb

    (ruddl)
  • To mark something with red ochre.
  • To raddle or twist.
  • Synonyms
    * raddle * reddle

    References

    *OED 2nd edition 1989

    Etymology 2

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A riddle or sieve.
  • (Holland)