water-ordeal
/ˈwɔːtə(r)ɔːˌdiːl/noun
A practice in which an accused person is subjected to a trial by water, usually involving physical pain or danger, overcoming of which is taken as divine proof of innocence. Also: a test of this sort; something which decides guilt or innocence. Compare ordeal, fire ordeal. Now historical.
Origin
Old English; earliest use found in Laws: Blaseras. From water + ordeal.
- makarism
- makarize
- Makarov
- makarrata
- Makasar
- Makasarese
- Makassar
- Makassarese
- Makassar Strait
- makatea
- Makaton
- makdom
- make
- make a beeline for
- make a (big) thing of (or about)
- makeable
- make a bolt for
- make a break for
- make a clean breast of it
- make a clean job of something
- make a clean sweep
- make a conquest of
- make a day (or night) of it
- make a dead set at
- make-a-do