ordeal

Meanings

Plural: ordeals

Noun

a severe or trying experience
a primitive method of determining a person's guilt or innocence by subjecting the accused person to dangerous or painful tests believed to be under divine control; escape was usually taken as a sign of innocence
A painful or trying experience.
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. (See Trial by ordeal on Wikipedia.Wikipedia)
The poisonous ordeal bean or Calabar bean

Origin / Etymology

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”), equivalent to or- + 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”).

Synonyms

trial by ordeal

Scrabble Score: 7

ordeal is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
ordeal is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
ordeal is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 8

ordeal is a valid Words With Friends word