ordealor‧deal /ɔːˈdiːl, ˈɔːdiːl $ ɔːrˈdiːl, ˈɔːrdiːl/ ●○○ noun [countable] 
She then had to go through the ordeal of giving evidence. She was forced to face the ordeal of withdrawal symptoms. He was beginning to wonder if he would survive the ordeal. Teresa had a transplant in 1989 and was just recovering from that ordeal when she suffered a brain hemorrhage. Soon the whole terrifying ordeal would be over.COLLOCATIONSadjectivesa terrible/dreadful ordeal· The trial was a dreadful ordeal.a long ordeal· After thirteen days, the hostages' long ordeal finally ended.a terrifying ordeal· Bruce Gordon has described his terrifying ordeal in a shark attack.a painful ordeal (=a very bad or painful experience)· The treatment she had to go through was a painful ordeal.verbsgo through an ordeal (also undergo an ordeal formal) (=experience something that is very bad or difficult)· I'd already gone through the ordeal of a divorce once.· The girl will not have to undergo the ordeal of giving evidence in court.face an ordeal· He faced the ordeal of caring for his dying wife.endure an ordeal· In his book, he describes how he endured the ordeal of prison life.survive an ordeal· The woman survived her ordeal and identified her attacker.recover from an ordeal· She is recovering from her ordeal after a bomb went off on the train she was on.subject somebody to an ordeal (=make someone suffer something very painful or frightening)· Simon Collier was subjected to a horrifying ordeal at gunpoint.spare somebody the ordeal of something (=not make someone have to do something difficult)· Thank goodness she was spared the ordeal of surgery.phrasesan ordeal at the hands of somebody (=used to say who has made someone go through something painful or difficult)· She has only just revealed her ordeal at the hands of her stepfather.
WORD ORIGINordeal
Origin:
Old English ordal ‘trial, judgment’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- The hostages described their terrifying six-week ordeal.
- The hostages were relieved that their long ordeal was finally over.
- The three week trial turned out to be an emotional ordeal for everyone involved.
- After many hair-raising adventures, most not only survive but emerge wiser and stronger as a result of their harrowing ordeal.
- Appeal courts are expected to show some mercy because the defendant has twice had to face the ordeal of being sentenced.
- Even for an adult, it would be an inhumanly cruel ordeal.
- He is famously reticent in talking about his extraordinary physical ordeal.
- No one should be subjected to this sort of ordeal, especially in their own home.
- The ants are so minute that they can dodge the rays and so survive the ordeal.
- This time, though, there was hope; her strong young body recovered quickly from the ordeal of Hubert's birth.
- Watching the golf was an ordeal which cramped the muscles and stretched the ingenuity of the masses to the limit.
Longman Language Activatorsomething bad that happens to you
· You shouldn't let one bad experience affect your decision.· Being arrested was one of the worst experiences of my life.· My passport was stolen and the police said they couldn't help me. It was a terrible experience.
a very unpleasant or frightening experience when you feel that you have no control over what is happening: · Starting school can be a nightmare for some children.· As the ship went down, people were rushing around in the dark screaming and yelling. It was an absolute nightmare.nightmare of: · The hostages described life in the prison camp as a nightmare of fear and uncertainty.
a painful, frightening, or worrying experience, especially one that continues for a long time: · The three week trial turned out to be an emotional ordeal for everyone involved.· The hostages were relieved that their long ordeal was finally over.
a very bad experience or shock that has an effect on you: · June never recovered from the trauma of her husband's violent death.· Multiple-personality disorder is usually caused by early childhood trauma.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYadjectives Barker subjected his victim to awful abuse. He told her of his terrifying experience.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE
a terrible or painful experience that continues for a period of timeordeal of· The trial was a dreadful ordeal.
· After thirteen days, the hostages' long ordeal finally ended.
· Bruce Gordon has described his terrifying ordeal in a shark attack.
(=a very bad or painful experience)· The treatment she had to go through was a painful ordeal.
verbs (also undergo an ordeal formal) (=experience something that is very bad or difficult)· I'd already gone through the ordeal of a divorce once.· The girl will not have to undergo the ordeal of giving evidence in court.
· He faced the ordeal of caring for his dying wife.
· In his book, he describes how he endured the ordeal of prison life.
· The woman survived her ordeal and identified her attacker.
· She is recovering from her ordeal after a bomb went off on the train she was on.
(=make someone suffer something very painful or frightening)· Simon Collier was subjected to a horrifying ordeal at gunpoint.
(=not make someone have to do something difficult)· Thank goodness she was spared the ordeal of surgery.
phrases (=used to say who has made someone go through something painful or difficult)· She has only just revealed her ordeal at the hands of her stepfather.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES Barker subjected his victim to awful abuse. He told her of his terrifying experience.· The strain and anguish of his long ordeal has dearly had a terrible effect on him.
· It must have been a terrible ordeal.· I have no doubt this has been a terrible ordeal for you and the verdict is a personal and professional catastrophe.· Having a will professionally drawn up is not a terrible ordeal and it need not take long to explain your wishes.· It was a terrible ordeal for my hon. and learned Friend and for his family.· The strain has been a terrible ordeal.
VERB· It was the fourth time during the campaign that Mr Major had faced ordeal by egg.· Many artistes got drunk before they faced the ordeal on stage.· Julia's courage must be a great inspiration to those people facing a similar ordeal.· I only hope that by following this advice other members do not face the ordeal to which Mr Holdsworth was subjected.· Appeal courts are expected to show some mercy because the defendant has twice had to face the ordeal of being sentenced.· Generally, debtors must negotiate with each creditor separately, and must face the ordeal without advice.
· This time, though, there was hope; her strong young body recovered quickly from the ordeal of Hubert's birth.· Consequently he was recovering from his minor ordeal.· Christopher, of Bognor Regis, Sussex, was rushed to hospital, where he spent five days recovering from his ordeal.· He stood for a moment, eyes closed, recovering from the ordeal, and then lit a cigarette.
· Luckily the police have spared me the ordeal of telling Proby, and also kept my bones intact.· Just as well that she had been at least spared the ordeal of having to face him this morning.· But she was spared from that ordeal when Anthony Bourgois pleaded guilty to charges of false imprisonment and carrying a knife.
· Her husband's just grateful she survived her ordeal.· He was beginning to wonder if he would survive the ordeal.· The ants are so minute that they can dodge the rays and so survive the ordeal.· Because the liquid is non-toxic, more birds are likely to survive the ordeal than if petroleum were involved, he said.· Only a small percentage of the original 10, 000 minks survived the ordeal.· After barely surviving her ordeal, the young woman began years of reconstructive surgery.
She then had to go through the ordeal of giving evidence. She was forced to face the ordeal of withdrawal symptoms. He was beginning to wonder if he would survive the ordeal. Teresa had a transplant in 1989 and was just recovering from that ordeal when she suffered a brain hemorrhage. Soon the whole terrifying ordeal would be over.COLLOCATIONSadjectivesa terrible/dreadful ordeal· The trial was a dreadful ordeal.a long ordeal· After thirteen days, the hostages' long ordeal finally ended.a terrifying ordeal· Bruce Gordon has described his terrifying ordeal in a shark attack.a painful ordeal (=a very bad or painful experience)· The treatment she had to go through was a painful ordeal.verbsgo through an ordeal (also undergo an ordeal formal) (=experience something that is very bad or difficult)· I'd already gone through the ordeal of a divorce once.· The girl will not have to undergo the ordeal of giving evidence in court.face an ordeal· He faced the ordeal of caring for his dying wife.endure an ordeal· In his book, he describes how he endured the ordeal of prison life.survive an ordeal· The woman survived her ordeal and identified her attacker.recover from an ordeal· She is recovering from her ordeal after a bomb went off on the train she was on.subject somebody to an ordeal (=make someone suffer something very painful or frightening)· Simon Collier was subjected to a horrifying ordeal at gunpoint.spare somebody the ordeal of something (=not make someone have to do something difficult)· Thank goodness she was spared the ordeal of surgery.phrasesan ordeal at the hands of somebody (=used to say who has made someone go through something painful or difficult)· She has only just revealed her ordeal at the hands of her stepfather.