noun

lord

lawd

noun

A man who holds a title of nobility, or a ruler with power over others.

"The lord of the manor collected rent from the tenant farmers."

"She married into the family of a minor lord."

A title used for members of the British peerage, or as a form of address for certain officials.

"The Lord Mayor opened the new bridge."

name

A title for God or Jesus Christ in Christian, Jewish, and Islamic tradition.

"They gathered to pray and thank the Lord."

verb

To act in a superior, bossy way toward others.

"He loved to lord it over his younger siblings."

How to Use Lord

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA nobleman or ruler, a religious title for God, or (as a verb) to boss others around.

Common mistake

"Lord it over someone" is the common idiom — you don't just "lord someone," you "lord it over" them.

Common pairings

lord it over Lord Mayor my lord

Word Forms

lorded past tense, lords plural, Lords plural, Lords plural, lords singular

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

The _____ of the manor collected rent from the tenant farmers.

Etymology

From Old English hlāford, a compound of hlāf ("bread, loaf") and weard ("guardian") — literally "the guardian of the bread," referring to the head of a household who ensured everyone was fed.

Synonyms

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elevate ennoble invest

Related Words

invest augment decorate clothe elevate

Rhymes for lord

ord word cord ford Nord gord sword chord fjord accord afford record

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