Thrall
/θɹɔl/ adj, name, noun, verb
adj, name, noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Slave; one under the control of another. countable, uncountable
"My father was always a thrall to alcohol."
- 2 someone held in bondage wordnet
- 3 The state of being under the control of another person. uncountable
"Today's kids are in thrall to their phones."
- 4 the state of being under the control of another person wordnet
- 5 A shelf; a stand for barrels, etc. countable, uncountable
Verb
- 1 To make a thrall; enslave.
Adjective
- 1 Enthralled; captive. archaic
"Rather than to live thrall, under the awe Of lordly lokes, wrapped within my cloke […]"
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Example
More examples"The populace was in thrall to the dictator's whims."
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English thral, thralle, threl, threlle, from Old English þrǣl (“thrall, slave, servant”), from Old Norse þræll (“slave”), from Proto-Germanic *þrahilaz, *þragilaz, *þrigilaz (“runner, gofer, servant”), from Proto-Indo-European *trāgʰ- (“to pull, drag, race, run”); according to ODS probably related to Gothic 𐌸𐍂𐌰𐌲𐌾𐌰𐌽 (þragjan), Old English þrǣġan (“to run”).
Etymology 2
From Middle English thrallen, from the noun above. Compare Old Norse þræla.