ordeal

Meanings

• Noun

  A trial or test of great severity, hardship, or difficulty.

  - "The prisoner was put through an ordeal in the courtroom."
  - "Passing the ordeal by fire was an ancient ritual to prove purity."

• Noun

  A painful or distressing experience.

  - "Losing a loved one is an ordeal that no one wants to go through."
  - "The illness was a long and grueling ordeal for the patient."

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Rhymes

Words rhyming with ordeal
ordeal , deal , heel , real , veil , trail , mail , ale , hale , gale , pail , sail , wail , pale , tale , veil , whale , wail , hale , grail , trail,ail , pail , mail , gale , wail , pale , tale , grail

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Variants

List of all variants of ordeal that leads to same result
ordeal , ordeals

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Etymology

origin and the way in which meanings have changed throughout history.

From Old French ordeal, from ordeal 'judgment, trial' (from or 'judgment' + de 'of' + iel 'God'), from ordir 'to judge'.

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Trivia

Any details, considerations, events or pieces of information regarding the word

1. The word 'ordeal' comes from the Old French word 'ordeal', which means 'judgment'.

2. In medieval Europe, an ordeal by fire was often used to determine whether a person was telling the truth or not.

3. The ordeal by water was replaced by the ordeal by cold water in the 13th century, as it was considered to be a more reliable test.

4. The last recorded ordeal by fire in England took place in 1650.

5. In modern times, the term 'ordeal' is used more figuratively to describe any challenging or painful experience.

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Related Concepts

informations on related concepts or terms closely associated with the word. Discuss semantic fields or domains that the word belongs to

1. Trial: A formal examination and assessment of a person or issue, typically involving a legal process.

2. Hardship: A state of severe suffering, particularly physical hardship or distress.

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Culture

Any cultural, historical, or symbolic significance of the word. Explore how the word has been used in literature, art, music, or other forms of expression.

In medieval Europe, an ordeal was a trial by fire or water used to prove the guilt or innocence of an accused person. The ordeal by fire involved the accused person walking barefoot over red-hot ploughshares or iron bars. If the person's feet were not burned, they were considered innocent. The ordeal by water involved the accused person's hand being immersed in cold water. If the hand did not shrink, the person was considered innocent. These trials were based on the belief that God would protect the innocent.

How to Memorize "ordeal"

1. visualize
   

   - Imagine a person going through a difficult test or trial, such as a courtroom proceeding or a physical challenge. Visualize the emotions and actions involved in the ordeal.

2. associate
   

   - Associate the word 'ordeal' with the idea of a challenging or painful experience. Think of a time when you had to go through a difficult situation and how it made you feel.

3. mnemonics
   

   - Use the acronym O R D E A L to remember the meaning: 'O' for ordeal, 'R' for trial, 'D' for difficult, 'E' for experience, 'A' for assessment, 'L' for legal.

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