a primitive method of determining a person\\\'s guilt or innocence by subjecting the accused person to dangerous or painful tests believed to be under divine control; escape was usually taken as a sign of innocence
造句
用作名詞(n.)
Through this ordeal Heng lay stiff and silent. 在這個嚴酷的考驗中，恒一直僵硬地躺著，默不作聲。
Once there we saw that the ordeal must have been great. 從前我們覺得嚴酷的考驗一定是很偉大的。
I\\\'d hate to go through such a terrible ordeal again. 我不想再受這種痛苦的經驗。
Excessive choices quickly stop being a benefit and become an ordeal. 過多的選擇很快就喪失了它的優勢，而成為一種痛苦的經驗。
常用短語
I kept dreading the ordeal of standing on the stage of Festival Hall.
出自：N. Sedaka
The freezing journey home at night..had been one of his worst ordeals.