ordeal

Meaning

1. A painful or trying experience.
2. A trial in which the accused was subjected to a dangerous test (such as ducking in water), divine authority deciding the guilt of the accused. (See Trial by ordeal on Wikipedia.Wikipedia)
3. The poisonous ordeal bean or Calabar bean

Hyphenated as

or‧deal

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ɔːˈdiːl/

Etymology

From Middle English ordel, ordal, from Medieval Latin ordālium or inherited from its source Old English ordēl, ordāl (“ordeal, judgement”), from Proto-West Germanic *uʀdailī (“judgement”, literally “an out-dealing”), from *uʀdailijan (“to deal out; dispense”), equivalent to or- + deal.
Cognate with Saterland Frisian Uurdeel (“judgement; verdict”), West Frisian oardiel (“judgement”), Dutch oordeel (“judgement, discretion”), Low German Oordeel (“judgement; verdict”), German Urteil (“judgement, verdict”).