- hot-water ordeal
- An ancient form of trial for crime in which the defendant's arms were plunged into scalding hot water.
Ballentine's law dictionary. Anderson, W.S.. 1998.
hot-water ordeal
Look at other dictionaries:
hot-water ordeal — In old English law, this was a test, in cases of accusation, by hot water; the party accused and suspected being appointed by the judge to put his arms up to the elbows in seething hot water, which, after sundry prayers and invocations, he did,… … Black's law dictionary
hot-water ordeal — In old English law, this was a test, in cases of accusation, by hot water; the party accused and suspected being appointed by the judge to put his arms up to the elbows in seething hot water, which, after sundry prayers and invocations, he did,… … Black's law dictionary
Hot Water Ordeal — The victim fasted for three days, then a ring or piece of metal, blessed by a priest, was thrown into a pot of boiling water. The victim reached into the pot and pulled out the object. The worse the crime the deeper the boiling water. The arm… … The writer's dictionary of science fiction, fantasy, horror and mythology
ordeal — The most ancient species of trial, in Saxon and old English law, being peculiarly distinguished by the appellation of judicium Dei, or judgment of God, it being supposed that supernatural intervention would rescue an innocent person from the… … Black's law dictionary
ordeal — The most ancient species of trial for criminal offenses, founded upon the belief of the ancients that if a man were innocent, God would save him from death or injury when he was subjected to an ordeal. See 4 Bl Comm 342. See also Hurtado v… … Ballentine's law dictionary
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},… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Ordeal bean — 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… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Ordeal root — 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… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Ordeal tree — 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… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Ordeal, trial by — In trial by ordeal, proof of guilt or innocence was determined by God, the accused being tested by an ordeal which proved innocence if no mark was caused by the trial itself. In the laws of Athelstan anyone undergoing this trial had to be blessed … Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases
