lord

[ lawrd ]

/ lɔrd /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR lord ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a person who has authority, control, or power over others; a master, chief, or ruler.

a person who exercises authority from property rights; an owner of land, houses, etc.

a person who is a leader or has great influence in a chosen profession: the great lords of banking.

a feudal superior; the proprietor of a manor.

a titled nobleman or peer; a person whose ordinary appellation contains by courtesy the title Lord or some higher title.

Lords, the Lords Spiritual and Lords Temporal comprising the House of Lords.

(initial capital letter) (in Britain)

the title of certain high officials (used with some other title, name, or the like): Lord Mayor of London.
the formally polite title of a bishop: Lord Bishop of Durham.
the title informally substituted for marquis, earl, viscount, etc., as in the use of Lord Kitchener for Earl Kitchener.

(initial capital letter) the Supreme Being; God; Jehovah.

(initial capital letter) the Savior, Jesus Christ.

Astrology. a planet having dominating influence.

interjection

(often initial capital letter) (used in exclamatory phrases to express surprise, elation, etc.): Lord, what a beautiful day!

Nearby words

loraine, loral, loran, lorazepam, lorca, lord, lord advocate, lord baltimore cake, lord chamberlain, lord chancellor, lord chief justice

Idioms

lord it, to assume airs of importance and authority; behave arrogantly or dictatorially; domineer: to lord it over the menial workers.

Origin of lord

before 900; Middle English lord, loverd, Old English hlāford, hlāfweard literally, loaf-keeper. See loaf¹, ward

Related forms

lord·like, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for lord (1 of 2)

lord

/ (lɔːd) /

noun

a person who has power or authority over others, such as a monarch or master

a male member of the nobility, esp in Britain

(in medieval Europe) a feudal superior, esp the master of a manorCompare lady (def. 5)

a husband considered as head of the household (archaic except in the facetious phrase lord and master)

astrology a planet having a dominating influence

my lord a respectful form of address used to a judge, bishop, or nobleman

verb

(tr) rare to make a lord of (a person)

to act in a superior manner towards (esp in the phrase lord it over)

Derived Forms

lordless, adjectivelordlike, adjective

Word Origin for lord

Old English hlāford bread keeper; see loaf 1, ward

British Dictionary definitions for lord (2 of 2)

Lord

/ (lɔːd) /

noun

a title given to God or Jesus Christ

British

a title given to men of high birth, specifically to an earl, marquess, baron, or viscount
a courtesy title given to the younger sons of a duke or marquess
the ceremonial title of certain high officials or of a bishop or archbishopLord Mayor; Lord of Appeal; Law Lord; Lord Bishop of Durham

interjection

(sometimes not capital) an exclamation of dismay, surprise, etcGood Lord!; Lord only knows!

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with lord

lord

In addition to the idiom beginning with lord

lord it over

also see:

drunk as a lord