Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Ordeal
Or′de-al
(ôr′dē̍-al)
, Noun.
1.
An ancient form of test to determine guilt or innocence, by appealing to a supernatural decision, – once common in Europe, and still practiced in the East and by savage tribes.
☞ In England ordeal by fire and ordeal by water were used, the former confined to persons of rank, the latter to the common people. The ordeal by fire was performed, either by handling red-hot iron, or by walking barefoot and blindfold over red-hot plowshares, laid at unequal distances. If the person escaped unhurt, he was adjudged innocent; otherwise he was condemned as guilty. The ordeal by water was performed, either by plunging the bare arm to the elbow in boiling water, an escape from injury being taken as proof of innocence, or by casting the accused person, bound hand and foot, into a river or pond, when if he floated it was an evidence of guilt, but if he sunk he was acquitted. It is probable that the proverbial phrase, to go through fire and water, denoting severe trial or danger, is derived from the ordeal. See
Wager of battle
, under Wager
. 2.
Any severe trial, or test; a painful experience.
Ordeal bean
. (Bot.)
See
– Calabar bean
, under Calabar
. Ordeal root
(Bot.)
the root of a species of
– Strychnos
growing in West Africa, used, like the ordeal bean, in trials for witchcraft. Ordeal tree
(Bot.)
, a poisonous tree of Madagascar (
Tanghinia venenata
syn. Cerbera venenata
). Persons suspected of crime are forced to eat the seeds of the plumlike fruit, and criminals are put to death by being pricked with a lance dipped in the juice of the seeds.Or′de-al
,Adj.
Of or pertaining to trial by ordeal.
Webster 1828 Edition
Ordeal
OR'DEAL
,Noun.
1.
An ancient form of trial to determine guilt or innocence, practiced by the rude nations of Europe, and still practiced in the East Indies. In England, the ordeal was of two sorts, fire-ordeal and water-ordeal; the former being confined to persons of higher rank, the latter to the common people. Both might be performed by deputy, but the principal was to answer for the success of the trial.Fire-ordeal was performed either by taking in the hand a piece of red hot iron, or by walking barefoot and blindfold over nine red hot plowshares laid lengthwise at unequal distances; and if the person escapes unhurt, he was adjudged innocent, otherwise he was condemned as guilty.
Water-ordeal was performed, either by plunging the bare arm to the elbow in boiling water, or by casting the person suspected into a river or pond of cold water and if he floated without an effort to swim, it was an evidence of guilt, but if he sunk he was acquitted.
Both in England and Sweden, the clergy presided at this trial. It was at last condemned as unlawful by the canon law, and in England it was abolished by an order in council of Henry III.
It is probably our proverbial phrase, to go through fire and water, denoting severe trial or danger, is derived from the ordeal; as also the trial of witches by water.
2.
Severe trial; accurate scrutiny.Definition 2024
ordeal
ordeal
English
Noun
ordeal (plural ordeals)
- A painful or trying experience.
- 1960, P[elham] G[renville] Wodehouse, “chapter XXI”, in Jeeves in the Offing, London: Herbert Jenkins, OCLC 1227855:
- “And do you realize that in a few shakes I've got to show up at dinner and have Mrs Cream being very, very kind to me? It hurts the pride of the Woosters, Jeeves.” “My advice, sir, would be to fortify yourself for the ordeal.” “How?” “There are always cocktails, sir. Should I pour you another?” “You should.”
- 2012 December 29, Paul Doyle, “Arsenal's Theo Walcott hits hat-trick in thrilling victory over Newcastle”, in The Guardian:
- Arsène Wenger confessed: "The result was not an accurate indication of the match." Certainly, at half-time it seemed unlikely that Arsenal would catch fire so spectacularly because the first half was a damp squib of a display from Wenger's team, as Newcastle initially showed no ill-effects from their Old Trafford ordeal.
-
- A trial in which the accused was subjected to a dangerous test (such as ducking in water), divine authority deciding the guilt of the accused.
Translations
a painful or trying experience
|
trial in which the accused was subjected to a dangerous test
|