Lord

• POS: Interjection, Noun, Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Lord, n. [Cf. Gr. bent so as to be convex in front.].

 A hump-backed person; -- so called sportively.  Richardson (Dict.).  [1913 Webster]

Lord, n. [OE. lord, laverd, loverd, AS. hlāford, for hlāfweard, i. e., bread keeper; hlāf bread, loaf + weardian to look after, to take care of, to ward. See Loaf, and Ward to guard, and cf. Laird, Lady.].

•  One who has power and authority; a master; a ruler; a governor; a prince; a proprietor, as of a manor.  [1913 Webster]

  "But now I was the lord
  Of this fair mansion."  [1913 Webster]

  "Man over men
  He made not lord."  [1913 Webster]
•  A titled nobleman., whether a peer of the realm or not; a bishop, as a member of the House of Lords; by courtesy; the son of a duke or marquis, or the eldest son of an earl; in a restricted sense, a baron, as opposed to noblemen of higher rank.  [1913 Webster]
•  A title bestowed on the persons above named; and also, for honor, on certain official persons; as, lord advocate, lord chamberlain, lord chancellor, lord chief justice, etc.  [1913 Webster]
•  A husband.  Gen. xviii. 12.  [1913 Webster]

  "Thou worthy lord
  Of that unworthy wife that greeteth thee."  [1913 Webster]
•  One of whom a fee or estate is held; the male owner of feudal land; as, the lord of the soil; the lord of the manor.  [1913 Webster]
•  The Supreme Being; Jehovah.  [1913 Webster]

  " When Lord, in the Old Testament, is printed in small capitals, it is usually equivalent to Jehovah, and might, with more propriety, be so rendered."  [1913 Webster]
•  The Savior; Jesus Christ.  [1913 Webster]

House of Lords, one of the constituent parts of the British Parliament, consisting of the lords spiritual and temporal. -- Lord high chancellor, Lord high constable, etc. See Chancellor, Constable, etc. -- Lord justice clerk, the second in rank of the two highest judges of the Supreme Court of Scotland. -- Lord justice general, or Lord president, the highest in rank of the judges of the Supreme Court of Scotland. -- Lord keeper, an ancient officer of the English crown, who had the custody of the king's great seal, with authority to affix it to public documents. The office is now merged in that of the chancellor. -- Lord lieutenant, a representative of British royalty: the lord lieutenant of Ireland being the representative of royalty there, and exercising supreme administrative authority; the lord lieutenant of a county being a deputy to manage its military concerns, and also to nominate to the chancellor the justices of the peace for that county. -- Lord of misrule, the master of the revels at Christmas in a nobleman's or other great house. Eng. Cyc. -- Lords spiritual, the archbishops and bishops who have seats in the House of Lords. -- Lords temporal, the peers of England; also, sixteen representative peers of Scotland, and twenty-eight representatives of the Irish peerage. -- Our lord, Jesus Christ; the Savior. -- The Lord's Day, Sunday; the Christian Sabbath, on which the Lord Jesus rose from the dead. -- The Lord's Prayer, (Christianity) the prayer which Jesus taught his disciples, also called the Our Father. Matt. vi. 9-13. -- The Lord's Supper. (a) The paschal supper partaken of by Jesus the night before his crucifixion. (b) The sacrament of the eucharist; the holy communion. -- The Lord's Table. (a) The altar or table from which the sacrament is dispensed. (b) The sacrament itself.

Lord, v. t. 

•  To invest with the dignity, power, and privileges of a lord.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]
•  To rule or preside over as a lord.  [1913 Webster]

Lord, v. i. 

 To play the lord; to domineer; to rule with arbitrary or despotic sway; -- sometimes with over; and sometimes with it in the manner of a transitive verb; as, rich students lording it over their classmates.  [1913 Webster]
"The whiles she lordeth in licentious bliss."  [1913 Webster]
"I see them lording it in London streets."  [1913 Webster]
"And lorded over them whom now they serve."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Lord, n., int., & v.
--n.
1 a master or ruler.
2 hist. a feudal superior, esp. of a manor.
3 a peer of the realm or a person entitled to the title Lord, esp. a marquess, earl, viscount, or baron.
4 (Lord) (often prec. by the) a name for God or Christ.
5 (Lord) a prefixed as the designation of a marquis, earl, viscount, or baron. b prefixed to the Christian name of the younger son of a duke or marquis. c (the Lords) = House of Lords.
6 Astrol. the ruling planet (of a sign, house, or chart).
--int. (Lord) expressing surprise, dismay, etc.
--v.tr. confer the title of Lord upon.

Idiom

live like a lord live sumptuously. Lord Advocate the principal law-officer of the Crown in Scotland. Lord Bishop the ceremonious title of any bishop. Lord Chamberlain see CHAMBERLAIN. Lord (or Lord High) Chancellor (in the UK) the highest officer of the Crown, presiding in the House of Lords etc. Lord Chief Justice (in the UK) the president of the Queen's Bench Division. lord it over domineer. Lord Lieutenant
1 (in the UK) the chief executive authority and head of magistrates in each county.
2 hist. the viceroy of Ireland. Lord Mayor the title of the mayor in London and some other large cities. Lord Ordinary see ORDINARY n. 5. lord over (usu. in passive) domineer, rule over. Lord President of the Council (in the UK) the cabinet minister presiding at the Privy Council. Lord Privy Seal (in the UK) a senior cabinet minister without official duties. Lord Provost the head of a municipal corporation or borough in certain Scottish cities. lords and ladies wild arum. Lords Commissioners the members of a board performing the duties of a high State office put in commission. Lord's Day Sunday. Lords of Session the judges of the Scottish Court of Session. Lord's Prayer the Our Father, the prayer taught by Christ to his disciples. Lords spiritual the bishops in the House of Lords. Lord's Supper the Eucharist. Lords temporal the members of the House of Lords other than the bishops. Our Lord a name for Christ. Sea Lord a naval member of the Admiralty Board.

Derivative

lordless adj. lordlike adj.

Etymology

OE hlaford f. hlafweard = bread-keeper (as LOAF(1), WARD)

DEVIL DICTIONARY

Lord

n. In American society, an English tourist above the state of a costermonger, as, lord 'Aberdasher, Lord Hartisan and so forth. The traveling Briton of lesser degree is addressed as "Sir," as, Sir 'Arry Donkiboi, or 'Amstead 'Eath. The word "Lord" is sometimes used, also, as a title of the Supreme Being; but this is thought to be rather flattery than true reverence.

Miss Sallie Ann Splurge, of her own accord,
Wedded a wandering English lord --
Wedded and took him to dwell with her "paw,"
A parent who throve by the practice of Draw.
Lord Cadde I don't hesitate to declare
Unworthy the father-in-legal care
Of that elderly sport, notwithstanding the truth
That Cadde had renounced all the follies of youth;
For, sad to relate, he'd arrived at the stage
Of existence that's marked by the vices of age.
Among them, cupidity caused him to urge
Repeated demands on the pocket of Splurge,
Till, wrecked in his fortune, that gentleman saw
Inadequate aid in the practice of Draw,
And took, as a means of augmenting his pelf,
To the business of being a lord himself.
His neat-fitting garments he wilfully shed
And sacked himself strangely in checks instead;
Denuded his chin, but retained at each ear
A whisker that looked like a blasted career.
He painted his neck an incarnadine hue
Each morning and varnished it all that he knew.
The moony monocular set in his eye
Appeared to be scanning the Sweet Bye-and-Bye.
His head was enroofed with a billycock hat,
And his low-necked shoes were aduncous and flat.
In speech he eschewed his American ways,
Denying his nose to the use of his A's
And dulling their edge till the delicate sense
Of a babe at their temper could take no offence.
His H's -- 'twas most inexpressibly sweet,
The patter they made as they fell at his feet!
Re-outfitted thus, Mr. Splurge without fear
Began as Lord Splurge his recouping career.
Alas, the Divinity shaping his end
Entertained other views and decided to send
His lordship in horror, despair and dismay
From the land of the nobleman's natural prey.
For, smit with his Old World ways, Lady Cadde
Fell -- suffering Caesar! -- in love with her dad!
G.J.

THESAURUS

Lord

Almighty God, Alpha and Omega, Demiourgos, Demiurge, Eminence, God, God Almighty, Grace, Heaven, Her Excellency, Her Highness, Her Ladyship, Her Majesty, Highness, His Lordship, His Majesty, Honor, I Am, Imperial Highness, Imperial Majesty, Jehovah, King of Kings, Lady, Ladyship, Lord of Lords, Lord of hosts, Lordship, Majesty, My Lady, My Lord, Omnipotence, Omniscience, Providence, Reverence, Royal Highness, Royal Majesty, Serene Highness, Worship, Your Lordship, milady, milord, the Absolute, the Absolute Being, the All-holy, the All-knowing, the All-merciful, the All-powerful, the All-wise, the Almighty, the Creator, the Deity, the Divinity, the Eternal, the Eternal Being, the First Cause, the Infinite, the Infinite Spirit, the Maker, the Omnipotent, the Omniscient, the Preserver, the Supreme Being, the Supreme Soul

ROGET THESAURUS

Lord

Master

N master, padrone, lord, lord paramount, commander, commandant, captain, chief, chieftain, sirdar, sachem, sheik, head, senior, governor, ruler, dictator, leader, boss, cockarouse, sagamore, werowance, lord of the ascendant, cock of the walk, cock of the roost, gray mare, mistress, potentate, liege, liege lord, suzerain, sovereign, monarch, autocrat, despot, tyrant, oligarch, crowned head, emperor, king, anointed king, majesty, imperator, protector, president, stadholder, judge, ceasar, kaiser, czar, tsar, sultan, soldan, grand Turk, caliph, imaum, shah, padishah, sophi, mogul, great mogul, khan, lama, tycoon, mikado, tenno, inca, cazique, voivode, landamman, seyyid, Abuna, cacique, czarowitz, grand seignior, prince, duke, archduke, doge, elector, seignior, marland, margrave, rajah, emir, wali, sheik nizam, nawab, empress, queen, sultana, czarina, princess, infanta, duchess, margravine, czarevna, czarita, maharani, rani, rectrix, regent, viceroy, exarch, palatine, khedive, hospodar, beglerbeg, three-tailed bashaw, pasha, bashaw, bey, beg, dey, scherif, tetrarch, satrap, mandarin, subahdar, nabob, maharajah, burgrave, laird, collector, commissioner, deputy commissioner, woon, the authorities, the powers that be, the government, staff, etat major, aga, official, man in office, person in authority, sircar, sirkar, Sublime Porte, marshal, field marshal, marechal, general, generalissimo, commander in chief, seraskier, hetman, lieutenant general, major general, colonel, lieutenant colonel, major, captain, centurion, skipper, lieutenant, first lieutenant, second lieutenant, sublieutenant, officer, staff officer, aide-de-camp, brigadier, brigade major, adjutant, jemidar, ensign, cornet, cadet, subaltern, noncommissioned officer, warrant officer, sergeant, sergeant major, color sergeant, corporal, corporal major, lance corporal, acting corporal, drum major, captain general, dizdar, knight marshal, naik, pendragon, mayor, mayoralty, prefect, chancellor, archon, provost, magistrate, syndic, alcalde, alcaid, burgomaster, corregidor, seneschal, alderman, councilman, committeeman, councilwoman, warden, constable, portreeve, lord mayor, officer, dewan, fonctionnaire, admiral, admiralty, rear admiral, vice admiral, port admiral, commodore, captain, commander, lieutenant, ensign, skipper, mate, master, officer of the day, OD, navarch, da locum melioribus, der Furst ist der erste Diener seines Staats, the prince is the first servant of his state, lord of thy presence and no land beside.

Possessor

N possessor, holder, occupant, occupier, tenant, person in possession, man in possession, renter, lodger, lessee, underlessee, zemindar, ryot, tenant on sufferance, tenant at will, tenant from year to year, tenant for years, tenant for life, owner, proprietor, proprietress, proprietary, impropriator, master, mistress, lord, land holder, land owner, landlord, land lady, slumlord, lord of the manor, lord paramount, heritor, laird, vavasour, landed gentry, mesne lord, planter, cestui-que-trust, beneficiary, mortgagor, grantee, feoffee, releasee, relessee, devisee, legatee, legatary, trustee, holder of the legal estate, mortgagee, right owner, rightful owner, heir presumptive, heir apparent, heiress, inheritor, inheritress, inheritrix, reversioner, remainderman.

Deity

N deity, Divinity, Godhead, Godship, Omnipotence, Providence, Heaven (metonymically), divineness, divinity, God, Lord, Jehovah, Jahweh, Allah, The Almighty, The Supreme Being, The First Cause, the Prime Mover, Ens Entium, Author of all things, Creator of all things, Author of our being, Cosmoplast, El, The Infinite, The Eternal, The All-powerful, The All-wise, The All- merciful, The All-holy, infinite power, infinite wisdom, infinite goodness, infinite justice, infinite truth, infinite mercy, omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, unity, immutability, holiness, glory, majesty, sovereignty, infinity, eternity, The Trinity, The Holy Trinity, The Trinity in Unity, The Triune God, God the Father Son and Holy Ghost, God the Father, The Maker, The Creator, The Preserver, creation, preservation, divine government, Theocracy, Thearchy, providence, ways of Providence, dealings of Providence, dispensations of Providence, visitations of Providence, God the Son, Jesus, Christ, The Messiah, The Anointed, The Saviour, the Redeemer, The Mediator, The Intercessor, The Advocate, The Judge, The Son of God, The Son of Man, The Son of David, The Lamb of God, The Word, Logos, Emmanuel, Immanuel, The King of Kings and Lord of Lords, The King of Glory, The Prince of Peace, The Good Shepherd, The Way, The Truth, The Life, The Bread of Life, The Light of the World, The Lord our, The Sun of Righteousness, The Pilot of the Galilean lake, The Incarnation, The Hypostatic Union, salvation, redemption, atonement, propitiation, mediation, intercession, judgment, God the Holy Ghost, The Holy Spirit, Paraclete, The Comforter, The Spirit of Truth, The Dove, inspiration, unction, regeneration, sanctification, consolation, eon, aeon, special providence, deus ex machina, avatar, almighty, holy, hallowed, sacred, divine, heavenly, celestial, sacrosanct, all-knowing, all-seeing, all-wise, omniscient, superhuman, supernatural, ghostly, spiritual, hyperphysical, unearthly, theistic, theocratic, anointed, soterial, Adj, jure divino, by divine right, Domine dirige nos, en Dieu est ma fiance, et sceleratis sol oritur, He mounts the storm and walks upon the wind, Thou great First Cause, least understood, sans Dieu rien.

Nobility

N nobility, rank, condition, distinction, optimacy, blood, pur sang, birth, high descent, order, quality, gentility, blue blood of Castile, ancien regime, high life, haute monde, upper classes, upper ten thousand, the four hundred, elite, aristocracy, great folks, fashionable world, peer, peerage, house of lords, house of peers, lords, lords temporal and spiritual, noblesse, noble, nobleman, lord, lordling, grandee, magnifico, hidalgo, daimio, daimyo, samurai, shizoku, don, donship, aristocrat, swell, three- tailed bashaw, gentleman, squire, squireen, patrician, laureate, gentry, gentlefolk, squirarchy, better sort magnates, primates, optimates, pantisocracy, king, atheling, prince, duke, marquis, marquisate, earl, viscount, baron, thane, banneret, baronet, baronetcy, knight, knighthood, count, armiger, laird, signior, seignior, esquire, boyar, margrave, vavasour, emir, ameer, scherif, sharif, effendi, wali, sahib, chevalier, maharaja, nawab, palsgrave, pasha, rajah, waldgrave, princess, begum, duchess, marchioness, countess, lady, dame, memsahib, Do$a, maharani, rani, personage of distinction, man of distinction, personage of rank, man of rank, personage of mark, man of mark, notables, notabilities, celebrity, bigwig, magnate, great man, star, superstar, big bug, big gun, great gun, gilded rooster, magni nominis umbra, every inch a king, noble, exalted, of rank, princely, titled, patrician, aristocratic, high-, well-born, of gentle blood, genteel, comme il faut, gentlemanlike, courtly, highly respectable, in high quarters, Adel sitzt im Gemuthe nicht im Gebluete, adelig und edel sind zweierlei, noblesse oblige.