lord

[ lawrd ]

noun

1. a person who has authority, control, or power over others; a master, chief, or ruler.
2. a person who exercises authority from property rights; an owner of land, houses, etc.
3. a person who is a leader or has great influence in a chosen profession:

   the great lords of banking.

4. a feudal superior; the proprietor of a manor.
5. a titled nobleman or peer; a person whose ordinary appellation contains by courtesy the title Lord or some higher title.
6. Lords, the Lords Spiritual and Lords Temporal comprising the House of Lords
7. Lord, (in Britain)
   1. the title of certain high officials (used with some other title, name, or the like):

      Lord Mayor of London.

   2. the formally polite title of a bishop:

      Lord Bishop of Durham.

   3. the title informally substituted for Marquis, Earl, Viscount, etc., as in the use of Lord Kitchener for Earl Kitchener.
8. Lord, the Supreme Being; God.
9. Lord, Christianity. the Savior, Jesus Christ.
10. Astrology. a planet having dominating influence.

interjection

1. Often Lord. (used in exclamatory phrases to express surprise, elation, etc.):

   Lord, what a beautiful day!

lord

¹

/ lɔːd /

noun

1. a person who has power or authority over others, such as a monarch or master
2. a male member of the nobility, esp in Britain
3. (in medieval Europe) a feudal superior, esp the master of a manor Compare lady
4. a husband considered as head of the household (archaic except in the facetious phrase lord and master )
5. astrology a planet having a dominating influence
6. my lord
   a respectful form of address used to a judge, bishop, or nobleman

verb

1. rare.
   tr to make a lord of (a person)
2. to act in a superior manner towards (esp in the phrase lord it over )

Lord

²

/ lɔːd /

noun

1. a title given to God or Jesus Christ
2. 1. a title given to men of high birth, specifically to an earl, marquess, baron, or viscount
   2. a courtesy title given to the younger sons of a duke or marquess
   3. the ceremonial title of certain high officials or of a bishop or archbishop

      Lord Bishop of Durham

      Law Lord

      Lord Mayor

      Lord of Appeal

interjection

1. sometimes not capital an exclamation of dismay, surprise, etc

   Lord only knows!

   Good Lord!

Derived Forms

• ˈlordˌlike, adjective
• ˈlordless, adjective

Other Words From

• lord·like adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of lord¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English lord, lover(e)d, Old English hlāford, hlāfweard literally, “loaf-keeper”; loaf ¹, ward; lady ( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of lord¹

Old English hlāford bread keeper; see loaf ¹, ward

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. lord it, to assume airs of importance and authority; behave arrogantly or dictatorially; domineer:

   to lord it over the menial workers.

More idioms and phrases containing lord

In addition to the idiom beginning with lord , also see drunk as a lord .

Example Sentences

Boxer Will Mondrich can be a 50 percent partner with a scandalous lord.

From Washington Post

I looked forward to the UPS man like he was the lord and savior himself with packages of books and food my mother shipped, and soon we became friends.

From Washington Post

As the composer of 20 musicals — with a 21st, a new version of “Cinderella,” being prepped for the West End — and proprietor of six London theaters through his company, Really Useful Group, this lord is unique in the business.

From Washington Post

This time, you know for sure that one of them is a lord and one is a warrior.

From Popular-Science

The crucial thing you need to know about them is that warriors always tell the truth, and lords always lie.

From Popular-Science

His latest target has been Hajji Hassan, a Baluch drug lord who fled Iran and settled in Turbat in 2000.

From The Daily Beast

The good Lord has saved a special place in Hell for all those responsible for this wrongdoing.

From The Daily Beast

Gov. Calzada made it seem as though the drug lord were captured alone.

From The Daily Beast

Nothing was quite made for the stage like the hilarious story of a teacher with cancer who turns into a meth-dealing drug lord.

From The Daily Beast

Guardians centers on Peter Quill/Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), an intergalactic smuggler who swipes an orb.

From The Daily Beast

But with all her advantages Miss Solomonson failed with the old lord, and she abuses him to this day.

From Project Gutenberg

Ever since his majority Lord Hetton had annually entered a colt in the great race.

From Project Gutenberg

He passed through all the honors of the law, and in 1836 became lord chancellor.

From Project Gutenberg

But we must not class in this unclean category Lord Spunyarn and his friend Haggard, who were both playing at the big table.

From Project Gutenberg

That they may know thee, as we also have known thee, that there is no God beside thee, O Lord.

From Project Gutenberg