ORDEAL


Meaning of ORDEAL in English

transcription, транскрипция: [ ɔ:ˈdi:l ]

n. 1 a painful or horrific experience; a severe trial. 2 hist. an ancient esp. Germanic test of guilt or innocence by subjection of the accused to severe pain or torture, survival of which was taken as divine proof of innocence. øordeal tree the tanghin. [OE ordal, ordel f. Gmc: cf. DEAL(1)]

English main colloquial, spoken dictionary.      Английский основной разговорный словарь.