Etymology: Origin uncertain. Probably < Middle French rideler (of blood) to flow (although this is first attested later: c1450), probably < Middle Dutch rīden ride v. + Middle French -eler (French -eler ), frequentative suffix; compare Old French, Middle French, French rider ride v., which is only attested in different senses, and hence unlikely to be the base of rideler . Alternatively, it is possible that the quot. shows an instance of riddle v.¹ (compare riddle v.¹ 2a).Compare rideling adj. (in another poem in the same manuscript), which may show a derivative of the same verb. If strondes in quot. c1400 at rideling adj. shows the plural of strand n.², as the edition of Patience by J. J. Anderson (1969) assumes, the likely meaning of rydelande strondes is ‘surging currents’, and the sense of the instance in Cleanness may similarly be taken as ‘to surge’ (hence assuming the French etymon). Alternatively, M. Andrew & R. Waldron ( Poems Pearl Manuscript (1978) 196) gloss rydlande in the Cleanness quot. as ‘sifting’ (assuming that strondes shows the plural of strand n.¹, and rydlande hence shows riddle v.¹), which however seems a somewhat unusual metaphor.

Etymology: < Anglo-Norman rideler to make a fold in pleat or cloth (c1300 or earlier, originally in past participle ridelé pleated) < rider to pleat (see riddel n.) + -eler , frequentative suffix. Earlier currency is apparently implied by rideled adj.