noun
-
archaic a gentleman; lord: used in the plural as a form of address
-
an obsolete word for lordling
Etymology
Origin of lording
1150–1200; Middle English; Old English hlāfording prince, literally, offspring of a lord, equivalent to hlāford lord + -ing -ing 3
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A dream was alive despite Greece lording it.
From BBC • Nov. 15, 2025
“He has spent decades lording his power over his victims and the community by demonstrating how unbound by legal limits he feels,” prosecutors wrote.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 19, 2022
With center Robert Williams III lording over the paint and four lanky defenders in front of him, Boston has forced Golden State to roam for vacant spots and find little hope around the perimeter.
From Washington Post • Jun. 12, 2022
With Britpop in vogue and lording over the charts, Oasis was truly poised to bring the long-running festival to new heights.
From Salon • Sep. 18, 2021
At first goods and damage was paid for by Pimple; but soon they began lording it around and taking what they wanted.
From "The Return of the King" by J.R.R. Tolkien
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
