Word of the Day 6.22.9

Thralldom

thrall (thrôl)

n.

1.

a. One, such as a slave or serf, who is held in bondage.

b. One who is intellectually or morally enslaved.

2. Servitude; bondage: “a people in thrall to the miracles of commerce” Lewis H. Lapham.

tr.v. thralled, thrall·ing, thralls Archaic

To enslave.


[Middle English, from Old English thrl, from Old Norse thrll.]


thralldom, thraldom n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Noun

1.

thralldom – the state of being under the control of another person

subjection, subjugation – forced submission to control by others

bonded labor – a practice in which employers give high-interest loans to workers whose entire families then labor at low wages to pay off the debt; the practice is illegal in the United States

servitude – state of subjection to an owner or master or forced labor imposed as punishment; “penal servitude”

serfdom, serfhood, vassalage – the state of a serf

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2008 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

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Posted on June 22, 2009 by admin

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