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   Or·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"

   Word Origin Old Englishordāl, ordēl, of Germanic origin; related to German urteilen ‘give judgement’, from a base meaning ‘share out’. The word is not found in Middle English (except once in Chaucer's Troilus); modern use of ordeal (sense 2) began in the late 16th century, whence ordeal (sense 1) (mid 17th century).

   Scrabble Points: 7

   • O

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   • R

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   • D

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   • E

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   • A

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   • L

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