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to make or become confused.
to make or become rotten, as eggs.
mentally confused; muddled.
rotten:
addle eggs.
Contemporary Examples

Or to assume that he believes in the addled and simplistic economics of austerity that would drive the nation back into recession.
The Right-Wing Backlash Against John Roberts Robert Shrum July 2, 2012

It seems that we will not know how to treat our transgressors humanely until we unlock our addled consciousness.
Our Sick Passion for Execution Lee Siegel September 21, 2011

If David is a yapping terrier, Pete is an addled golden retriever.
‘Family Tree’ Brings Christopher Guest’s Mockumentary Style to HBO Jace Lacob May 7, 2013

People worked all hours, often addled with booze and drugs, and casual sex was readily available.
Murdoch on the Rocks: How a Lone Reporter Revealed the Mogul’s Tabloid Terror Machine Clive Irving August 24, 2014

Whereas my female English friends are far more reserved and addled with shame.
Feeling Good About Yourself? A.J. Jacobs April 22, 2010

Historical Examples

Hit Bob a crack over the head and addled him so he ain’t at himself yet.
Old Ebenezer Opie Read

Come, tell me in what decent tavern you have addled your brain?
Amphitryon Moliere

If the eggs are addled or sterile, she will often continue to sit beyond the normal period.
Ways of Nature John Burroughs

“That his wit’s just addled; may be wi’ unbelief and heathenry,” quoth she.
The Water-Babies Charles Kingsley

“No, and nobody said it would,” Henley managed to fish from his addled brain.
Dixie Hart Will N. Harben

verb
to make or become confused or muddled
to make or become rotten
adjective
(in combination) indicating a confused or muddled state: addle-brained, addle-pated
verb
(Northern English, dialect) to earn (money or one’s living)
v.

1712, from addle (n.) “urine, liquid filth,” from Old English adela “mud, mire, liquid manure” (cognate with Old Swedish adel “urine,” Middle Low German adel, Dutch aal “puddle”).

Used in noun phrase addle egg (mid-13c.) “egg that does not hatch, rotten egg,” literally “urine egg,” a loan-translation of Latin ovum urinum, which is itself an erroneous loan-translation of Greek ourion oon “putrid egg,” literally “wind egg,” from ourios “of the wind” (confused by Roman writers with ourios “of urine,” from ouron “urine”). Because of this usage, from c.1600 the noun in English was taken as an adjective meaning “putrid,” and thence given a figurative extension to “empty, vain, idle,” also “confused, muddled, unsound” (1706). The verb followed a like course. Related: Addled; addling.