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ordeal

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ordeal

History a method of trial in which the guilt or innocence of an accused person was determined by subjecting him to physical danger, esp by fire or water. The outcome was regarded as an indication of divine judgment
Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

Ordeal

(religion, spiritualism, and occult)

The torture inflicted upon an accused witch during the persecutions. It might take the form of red hot irons, thumbscrews, boot jacks, water torture, or any of a number of atrocious punishments administered by the Christian persecutors.

The "Ordeal" is also the name given to the part of the Wiccan initiation ceremony in which the neophyte is bound and blindfolded. There is no torture involved here, but the very fact of not knowing what is about to happen is considered an ordeal of sorts.

The Witch Book: The Encyclopedia of Witchcraft, Wicca, and Neo-paganism © 2002 Visible Ink Press®. All rights reserved.
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References in periodicals archive
The victim said the suspects threatened him to use the recorded video for blackmailing his family and pressurized him to make the ordeal secret otherwise video go the viral on social media.
Del Rosario endured a six-hour ordeal at the Hong Kong International Airport as he was scheduled to attend meetings of the First Pacific's board and shareholders.
After the ordeal, the teenager said she was almost unconscious in the bedroom when the homeowner allegedly raped her before asking her to take a shower and leave.
The hikers lit a bonfire in the jungle and kept in contact with the rescue team throughout their ordeal.
I'd urge those who may know the identity of the people responsible to examine their conscience and think how they would feel if a loved one of theirs was pregnant and subjected to such an awful ordeal."
I sympathise with comedian Michael McIntyre over his Rolex raid ordeal - having been mugged in my car myself.
"This hedgehog will have suffered immeasurably by this horrendous ordeal, and was found with a series of injuries - including facial problems, and a bleeding nose, mouth and leg.
Katie - who recently suffered a violent robbery ordeal with kids Princess, 10, and Junior, 12 - felt insecure about her looks.
The lady revealed the alleged ordeal on her Instagram page and named Frank Wanyama, a Harlequins Rugby Club player, and one of his colleagues as the perpetrators.
In a hot water ordeal, a priest boiled a cauldron of water into which he threw a stone or ring.
A MAN is in a stable condition in hospital after being beaten by masked men during an abduction ordeal.
NEWS: Geordie worker tells of his horrific ordeal after the jailing of evil gang.
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