ordeal Definition

ordeal
noun

1. A difficult, painful or testing experience.

Thesaurus: trial, test, tribulation; difficulty, calamity, nightmare, torture, suffering, agony.
2. historical
A method of trial in which the accused person was subjected to physical danger from fire or water, etc, survival of which was taken as a sign from God of the person's innocence.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon ordal judgement or verdict.