trial by ordeal
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Trial by ordeal — is a judicial practice by which the guilt or innocence of the accused is determined by subjecting them to an unpleasant, usually dangerous experience. In some cases, the accused were considered innocent only if they survived the test, or if their … Wikipedia
trial by ordeal — trial by or·deal / ȯr dēl, ȯr ˌdēl/: a formerly used criminal trial in which the guilt or innocence of the accused was determined by subjection to dangerous or painful tests (as submersion in water) believed to be under divine control Merriam… … Law dictionary
trial by ordeal — noun 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 • Syn: ↑ordeal • Hypernyms:… … Useful english dictionary
trial by ordeal — See ordeal … Ballentine's law dictionary
Trial by drowning — is a medieval ordeal allegedly used on women suspected of witchcraft. The idea was that witches would float. As part of the trial the accused was thrown into a lake or river. If the accused sank, she was innocent and presumed not to be a witch.… … Wikipedia
Trial by water — can refer to: * Trial by drowning, the medieval judicial ordeal * Trial by ordeal#Ordeal of water * Castelseprio, the apocryphal Christian story of the trial of Mary and Joseph by water … Wikipedia
Trial by fire — may refer to:* Trial by ordeal, by which the guilt or innocence of the accused is determined by subjecting them to a painful taskIn music: * , an album by Bachman Turner Overdrive * Trial by Fire (Journey album), an album by Journey * Trial by… … Wikipedia
Ordeal — Or de*al, a. Of or pertaining to trial by ordeal. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Ordeal — may refer to The American title of What Happened to the Corbetts, a 1939 novel by Nevil Shute Trial by ordeal, the judicial practice This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an … Wikipedia
Trial by combat — 1540s depiction of a 1409 judicial combat in Augsburg (Paulus Hector Mair, Munich cod. icon. 393) Trial by combat (also wager of battle, trial by battle or judicial duel) was a method of Germanic law to settle accusations in the absence of… … Wikipedia