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- DictionaryOr·deal/ôrˈdēl/
noun
- 1. a painful or horrific experience, especially a protracted one: "the ordeal of having to give evidence"
- 2. an ancient test of guilt or innocence by subjection of the accused to severe pain, survival of which was taken as divine proof of innocence: historical "ordeals conducted in the twelfth century"
The meaning of ORDEAL is a primitive means used to determine guilt or innocence by submitting the accused to dangerous or painful tests believed to be under supernatural control. How to use ordeal in a sentence.
ORDEAL definition: 1. a very unpleasant and painful or difficult experience: 2. in the past, a way of trying to find…. Learn more.
An ordeal is something difficult or painful to go through. Something kind of hard like taking a test can be an ordeal, but often an ordeal is a serious and long-lasting event, like an illness or tragedy.
noun. any extremely severe or trying test, experience, or trial. a primitive form of trial to determine guilt or innocence by subjecting the accused person to fire, poison, or other serious danger, the result being regarded as a divine or preternatural judgment. ordeal. / ɔːˈdiːl /.
ORDEAL meaning: 1. a very unpleasant and painful or difficult experience: 2. in the past, a way of trying to find…. Learn more.
n. 1. any extremely severe or trying test, experience, or trial. 2. a former method of trial used to determine guilt or innocence by subjecting the accused person to serious physical danger, the result being regarded as a divine judgment.
1. any extremely severe or trying test, experience, or trial. 2. a primitive form of trial to determine guilt or innocence by subjecting the accused person to fire, poison, or other serious danger, the result being regarded as a divine or preternatural judgment.
ordeal. noun. /ɔːˈdiːl/, /ˈɔːdiːl/. /ɔːrˈdiːl/. [usually singular] a difficult or unpleasant experience. They had survived a terrifying ordeal. The interview was less of an ordeal than she'd expected. The hostages spoke openly about the terrible ordeal they had been through.
ordeal. noun. /ɔrˈdil/. [usually singular] ordeal (of something/of doing something) a difficult or unpleasant experience They are to be spared the ordeal of giving evidence in court. The hostages spoke openly about the terrible ordeal they had been through.
a very unpleasant experience: a terrible ordeal. They feared he would not survive the ordeal. She went through the ordeal of being interviewed by a panel of ten people. (Definition of ordeal from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)
