---
title: ordeal — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «ordeal» in the school dictionary: A very hard, painful or frightening experience that goes on for some time. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# ordeal

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** hard painful experience, cruel test, someone, religious test, climbers, She · **What happens:** go on, hold, use, decide, be, walk · **To what, where:** hot iron, fire, religious test, person, lift, real ordeal · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«ordeal» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 7 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [ordeal in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/ordeal.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A very hard, painful or frightening experience that goes on for some time.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ordeal:m1:1
# text = A very hard, painful or frightening experience that goes on for some time.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
2	very	very	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	painful	painful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	frightening	frightening	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	conj	_	_
8	experience	experience	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
10	goes	go	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	acl:relcl	_	_
11	on	on	ADP	RP	_	10	compound:prt	_	_
12	for	for	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	14	det	_	_
14	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go on** | present | a hard painful experience |  |  |  | time |  | vn function-105.2.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: history — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the Middle Ages, a cruel test, such as holding hot iron, used to "decide" if someone was guilty.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ordeal:m2:1
# text = In the Middle Ages, a cruel test, such as holding hot iron, used to "decide" if someone was guilty.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	Middle	Middle	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	flat	_	_
4	Ages	Age	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	cruel	cruel	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	test	test	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
10	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=SCONJ	12	mark	_	_
11	as	as	ADP	IN	_	10	fixed	_	_
12	holding	hold	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	8	acl:relcl	_	_
13	hot	hot	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	iron	iron	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
16	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	parataxis	_	_
17	to	to	PART	TO	_	19	mark	_	_
18	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	19	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	decide	decide	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	16	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	19	punct	_	_
21	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	24	mark	_	_
22	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	24	nsubj	_	_
23	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	24	cop	_	_
24	guilty	guilty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hold** | gerund | a cruel test *not said here* | hot iron |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent iron=Theme |
| 2 | **use** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **decide** *in a quote* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **is** *a condition, not said to happen* | past | someone |  |  |  |  | guilty *property* | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A religious test, such as walking through fire, believed to cleanse a person of sin.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ordeal:m3:1
# text = A religious test, such as walking through fire, believed to cleanse a person of sin.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	religious	religious	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	test	test	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj:pass	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
5	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=SCONJ	7	mark	_	_
6	as	as	ADP	IN	_	5	fixed	_	_
7	walking	walk	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	acl	_	_
8	through	through	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	fire	fire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
11	believed	believe	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
12	to	to	PART	TO	_	13	mark	_	_
13	cleanse	cleanse	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	xcomp	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	_
16	of	of	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	sin	sin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **walk** | gerund | a religious test *not said here* |  |  | fire |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme through fire=Trajectory |
| 2 | **believe** | participle · passive |  | a religious test |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **cleanse** | to-infinitive |  | a person of sin |  |  |  |  | vn groom-41.1.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent person=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The climbers were safe after a long ordeal on the mountain.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ordeal:x1:1
# text = The climbers were safe after a long ordeal on the mountain.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	climbers	climber	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	safe	safe	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	after	after	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	ordeal	ordeal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
9	on	on	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	mountain	mountain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the climbers |  |  |  | after a long ordeal on the mountain | safe *property* | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Being stuck in the lift for two hours was a real ordeal.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ordeal:x2:1
# text = Being stuck in the lift for two hours was a real ordeal.
1	Being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	cop	_	_
2	stuck	stuck	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	csubj	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	lift	lift	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	8	nummod	_	_
8	hours	hour	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
9	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	ordeal	ordeal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	12	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | gerund |  |  |  | the lift | hour | stuck *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **is a** | past |  | a real ordeal |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She told reporters about her ordeal at sea.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ordeal:x3:1
# text = She told reporters about her ordeal at sea.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	told	tell	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	reporters	reporter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	iobj	_	_
4	about	about	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	ordeal	ordeal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
7	at	at	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	sea	sea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | past | She |  | reporters |  |  | about her ordeal at sea | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent reporter=Recipient about ordeal=Topic |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Trial by ordeal was used in medieval England.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ordeal:x4:1
# text = Trial by ordeal was used in medieval England.
1	Trial	trial	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	by	by	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	ordeal	ordeal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nmod	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	medieval	medieval	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	England	England	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | past · passive |  | Trial by ordeal |  | medieval England |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |
| 2 | **try** |  | ordeal |  |  |  |  |  | nom trial «act transitive»: by=agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The dentist visit was not the ordeal I expected.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ordeal:x5:1
# text = The dentist visit was not the ordeal I expected.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	dentist	dentist	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	visit	visit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
5	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	ordeal	ordeal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	expected	expect	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **is a** | past | the dentist visit | the ordeal |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **expect** | past | I | the ordeal *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn conjecture-29.5-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent ordeal=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
After the ordeal, the lost hikers were given hot soup.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ordeal:x6:1
# text = After the ordeal, the lost hikers were given hot soup.
1	After	after	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	ordeal	ordeal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	lost	lose	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	amod	_	_
7	hikers	hiker	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj:pass	_	_
8	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux:pass	_	_
9	given	give	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
10	hot	hot	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	soup	soup	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lose** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **give** | past · passive |  | the lost hikers |  |  | after the ordeal |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: subject=Recipient soup=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
During this festival it was customary for shepherds to ignite a mass of straw, through which they rushed with their flocks, believing that this ordeal would purify them from sin.

<!-- fold The tree, 30 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ordeal:x7:1
# text = During this festival it was customary for shepherds to ignite a mass of straw, through which they rushed with their flocks, believing that this ordeal would purify them from sin.
1	During	during	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	3	det	_	_
3	festival	festival	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
4	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	customary	customary	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
8	shepherds	shepherd	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nsubj	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	ignite	ignite	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	acl:relcl	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	mass	mass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
13	of	of	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	straw	straw	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
16	through	through	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	19	obl	_	_
18	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	19	nsubj	_	_
19	rushed	rush	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	parataxis	_	_
20	with	with	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
21	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	22	nmod:poss	_	_
22	flocks	flock	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	19	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	24	punct	_	_
24	believing	believe	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	19	advcl	_	_
25	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	29	mark	_	_
26	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	27	det	_	_
27	ordeal	ordeal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	29	nsubj	_	_
28	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	29	aux	_	_
29	purify	purify	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	24	ccomp	_	_
30	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	29	obj	_	_
31	from	from	ADP	IN	_	32	case	_	_
32	sin	sin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	29	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
33	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | festival | customary |  |  | during this festival |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **ignite** | to-infinitive | shepherds | a mass of straw |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent mass=Patient |
| 3 | **rush** | past | shepherds *= shepherd* |  |  |  |  | with shepherds's flocks | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme through which=Trajectory |
| 4 | **believe** | gerund | shepherds *= shepherd* *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V that S»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus |
| 5 | **purify** | would | this ordeal | shepherds *= shepherd* |  |  |  | from sin | vn free-10.6.3-1-1 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Causer they=Source from sin=Theme |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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