ordeal 音标拼音: [ɔrd'il]
n . 严酷的考验,痛苦的经验
严酷的考验,痛苦的经验
ordeal n 1 :
a severe or trying experience 2 :
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 [
synonym : {
ordeal }, {
trial by ordeal }]
Ordeal \
Or "
de *
al \ ([^
o ]
r "
d [-
e ]*
al ),
n . [
AS .
ord [=
a ]
l ,
ord [=
ae ]
l ,
a judgment ;
akin to D .
oordeel ,
G .
urteil ,
urtheil ;
orig .,
what is dealt out ,
the prefix or -
being akin to [=
a ]-
compounded with verbs ,
G .
er -,
ur -,
Goth .
us -,
orig .
meaning ,
out .
See {
Deal },
v . &
n .,
and cf . {
Arise }, {
Ort }.]
1 .
An ancient form of test to determine guilt or innocence ,
by appealing to a supernatural decision , --
once common in Europe ,
and still practiced in the East and by savage tribes .
[
1913 Webster ]
Note :
In England ordeal by fire and ordeal by water were used ,
the former confined to persons of rank ,
the latter to the common people .
The ordeal by fire was performed ,
either by handling red -
hot iron ,
or by walking barefoot and blindfold over red -
hot plowshares ,
laid at unequal distances .
If the person escaped unhurt ,
he was adjudged innocent ;
otherwise he was condemned as guilty .
The ordeal by water was performed ,
either by plunging the bare arm to the elbow in boiling water ,
an escape from injury being taken as proof of innocence ,
or by casting the accused person ,
bound hand and foot ,
into a river or pond ,
when if he floated it was an evidence of guilt ,
but if he sunk he was acquitted .
It is probable that the proverbial phrase ,
to go through fire and water ,
denoting severe trial or danger ,
is derived from the ordeal .
See {
Wager of battle },
under {
Wager }.
[
1913 Webster ]
2 .
Any severe trial ,
or test ;
a painful experience .
[
1913 Webster ]
{
Ordeal bean }. (
Bot .)
See {
Calabar bean },
under {
Calabar }.
{
Ordeal root } (
Bot .)
the root of a species of {
Strychnos }
growing in West Africa ,
used ,
like the ordeal bean ,
in trials for witchcraft .
{
Ordeal tree } (
Bot .),
a poisonous tree of Madagascar ({
Tanghinia venenata }
syn . {
Cerbera venenata }).
Persons suspected of crime are forced to eat the seeds of the plumlike fruit ,
and criminals are put to death by being pricked with a lance dipped in the juice of the seeds .
[
1913 Webster ]
Ordeal \
Or "
de *
al \,
a .
Of or pertaining to trial by ordeal .
[
1913 Webster ]
49 Moby Thesaurus words for "
ordeal ":
Sabbat ,
acid test ,
adversity ,
affliction ,
anguish ,
assay ,
blank determination ,
brouillon ,
calvary ,
criterion ,
cross ,
crucial test ,
crucible ,
determination ,
disaster ,
distress ,
docimasy ,
essay ,
feeling out ,
fiery ordeal ,
first draft ,
ghost dance ,
grief ,
hardship ,
kiteflying ,
magic circle ,
misery ,
misfortune ,
nightmare ,
ordeal by battle ,
probation ,
proof ,
rough draft ,
rough sketch ,
sounding out ,
standard ,
suffering ,
test ,
test case ,
touchstone ,
tragedy ,
trial ,
trials and tribulations ,
tribulation ,
tribulations ,
troubles ,
try ,
verification ,
visitation ORDEAL .
An ancient superstitious mode of tribal .
When in a criminal case the accused was arraigned ,
be might select the mode of trial either by God and his country ,
that is ,
by jury ;
or by God only ,
that is by ordeal .
2 .
The trial by ordeal was either by fire or by water .
Those who were tried by the former passed barefooted and blindfolded over nine hot glowing ploughshares ;
or were to carry burning irons in their hands ;
and accordingly as they escaped or not ,
they were acquitted or condemned .
The water ordeal was performed either in hot or cold water .
In cold water ,
the parties suspected were adjudged innocent ,
if their bodies were not borne up by the water contrary to the course of nature ;
and if ,
after putting their bare arms or legs into scalding water they came out unhurt ,
they were taken to be innocent of the crime .
3 .
It was impiously supposed that God would ,
by the mere contrivance of man ,
exercise his power in favor of the innocent .
4 .
Bl .
Com .
342 ;
2 Am .
Jur .
280 .
For a detailed account of the trial by ordeal ,
see Herb .
Antiq .
of the Inns of Court ,
146 .
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