ordeal

CEFRC1

/ɔːˈdiːl/

noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    A very difficult or painful experience.

  2. 02

    noun

    Extra detail

    A painful or trying experience.

Examples

  • Bob has to get through this ordeal on his own.

  • Tom told Mary about last night's ordeal.

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
4
Parts of speech
1
Citations
3

Also pronounced

  • /ɔɹˈdil/

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. The poisonous ordeal bean or Calabar bean.

  2. 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.

More examples

In context

  • He spoke frankly about the ordeal.

  • trial by ordeal

  • All the same, nearly eight hours on the footplate covering a distance of 320 miles, with an ambient temperature of up to 103° for much of the time, proved an ordeal which I would not lightly undertake again.

Quick test

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Question 1 · Quick check

Surviving the three-day mountain storm was a terrible blank for the hikers.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

From Middle English ordel, ordal, from Medieval Latin ordālium or inherited from its source Old English ordēl, ordāl (“ordeal, judgement”), from Proto-West Germanic *uʀdailī (“judgement”, literally “an out-dealing”), from *uʀdailijan (“to deal out; dispense”). For more, see Old English or-, English deal. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Uurdeel (“judgement; verdict”), West Frisian oardiel (“judgement”), Dutch oordeel (“judgement, discretion”), Low German Oordeel (“judgement; verdict”), German Urteil (“judgement, verdict”).