lord
lord — noun
1. a man who belongs to the British nobility, either because he inherited a rank su
a man who belongs to the British nobility, either because he inherited a rank such as duke, earl, or baron, or because the monarch gave him the title as a special honour.
Lord Hampton inherited the estate when his father, the earl, passed away.
inherited title from a parent
Several lords gathered in the great hall to discuss the new trade laws.
The young lord spent his summers at the family's country house in Yorkshire.
Kwame learned that feudal lords owned the land and the villagers worked for them.
- nobleman
more general term for any male member of the nobility, not limited to Britain
- peer
strictly refers to a British noble with the right to sit in the House of Lords
- landowner
focuses on property ownership rather than title; less formal
- baron
the lowest rank of British peer, but sometimes used loosely for any peer
- commoner
a person who is not a member of the nobility
文法句型
lord + of + place
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 3 (TITLE): sense 1 refers to the person's social rank, not the honorific used before his name. A man 'becomes a lord' (sense 1) and is then addressed as 'Lord [surname]' (sense 3).
常見錯誤
2. a man who holds great influence or control in a particular field, industry, or a
a man who holds great influence or control in a particular field, industry, or area of activity — for example, the head of a criminal network or a tycoon who dominates a business sector.
After years of hard work, Caio became a media lord with control over several newspapers.
lord of a specific industry
The police arrested the drug lord after a six-month investigation across three countries.
Sari is widely seen as the publishing lord of the fashion magazine world.
Local business lords met privately to decide the future of the port.
文法句型
lord + of + [field/industry]
用法筆記
When used as a metaphor for domination (drug lord, media lord, crime lord), the word carries a strong sense of unofficial or illicit power. Avoid using it for democratically elected leaders or public servants.
3. a formal title placed before the name of a British nobleman or a very senior off
a formal title placed before the name of a British nobleman or a very senior office holder, such as a judge or bishop, indicating their rank.
Lord Kitchener served as Secretary of State for War during the First World War.
title before a full name
When his uncle died without children, Jin inherited the title of Lord.
The invitation was addressed to Lord Carrington, the former foreign secretary.
The King granted him the title of Lord for his years of public service.
文法句型
Lord + [full name / surname]
用法筆記
Always capitalise 'Lord' when it is used as a title before a name (e.g. 'Lord Byron', not 'lord Byron'). Unlike 'sir', 'Lord' is followed by the surname alone or the full name, never by the given name alone.
常見錯誤
4. the senior chamber of the British Parliament. Its members — called peers — are n
the senior chamber of the British Parliament. Its members — called peers — are not chosen in public elections; instead they inherit their seats or are appointed by the monarch for life.
New laws must be approved by the House of Lords before they can take effect.
House of Lords as legislative body
The House of Lords debated the education bill for several hours yesterday.
Élise's research looks at how the Lords shape policy on digital privacy.
The Lords voted against the new tax plan, sending it back to the Commons.
- the upper house
descriptive term for the less powerful chamber in a bicameral system
- the peerage
refers to the group of peers as a social class, not the parliamentary chamber
- the House of Commons
the elected lower house of the British Parliament
文法句型
the Lords / the House of Lords
用法筆記
Frequently shortened to 'the Lords' in news headlines and informal speech. The full name 'House of Lords' is preferred in formal writing. Distinguish from 'House of Commons' (the elected lower house).
常見錯誤
5. the formal way to address a British judge, bishop, or titled gentleman when talk
the formal way to address a British judge, bishop, or titled gentleman when talking directly to them — for example, in court you would say 'my Lord' to the judge.
"My Lord," said the lawyer, "I ask the court to consider the new evidence."
address to a judge in court
The barrister bowed and said, "If it pleases my Lord, I call my next witness."
"Yes, my Lord," replied the witness when the judge asked him a question.
Nila addressed the bishop as "my Lord" during the formal ceremony.
- Your Honour
used for lower-court judges in the UK and for judges in the US
- Your Grace
used when addressing a duke or an archbishop, not a baron or judge
文法句型
my Lord
用法筆記
Used only in direct address (when speaking TO the person), not when talking ABOUT them. In the British legal system, all High Court judges are addressed as 'my Lord' regardless of whether they hold a peerage title.
常見錯誤
6. the name or title used in Christianity for God the Father or for Jesus Christ as
the name or title used in Christianity for God the Father or for Jesus Christ as the Son of God, expressing authority and worship.
Christians around the world pray to the Lord for peace and guidance.
the Lord as object of prayer
The pastor read from the Bible: "Praise the Lord, O my soul."
Wren thanked the Lord for giving her the strength to recover from the illness.
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want," she recited from memory.
文法句型
the Lord / Lord + [name] / O Lord
用法筆記
Always capitalised in Christian religious writing and speech. In prayers and hymns, the form 'O Lord' (with a capital O, no comma) is a traditional vocative. The definite article ('the Lord') is common when referring to God in general; 'Lord Jesus' or 'the Lord Jesus Christ' specifies Christ.
常見錯誤
lord — verb
1. to behave in a proud, bossy way toward other people, treating them as though the
to behave in a proud, bossy way toward other people, treating them as though they are beneath you and giving them orders as though doing so is your privilege to claim.
Zayd hates how his brother lords it over him and tells him what to do.
lord it over + person (bossing)
The senior manager lords it over the junior staff by making them do dull paperwork.
Dahlia refuses to let her director lord it over her or push her around.
Kabir hated how the captain lorded it over the new players during practice.
- boss around
less formal than 'lord it over'; very common in everyday speech
- domineer
more formal; implies controlling behaviour without necessarily giving orders
- push around
informal; suggests physical or psychological intimidation
文法句型
lord it over + someone
用法筆記
The 'it' in 'lord it over' is a fixed part of the phrase — you cannot drop it or replace it with another word. The object always follows 'over'. Common in negative descriptions of workplace or family dynamics.