thrall

¹thrall

noun \ˈthrȯl\

Definition of THRALL

1

a : a servant slave : bondman; also : serf

b : a person in moral or mental servitude

2

a : a state of servitude or submission <in thrall to his emotions>

b : a state of complete absorption <mountains could hold me in thrall with a subtle attraction of their own — Elyne Mitchell>

— thrall adjective

— thrall·dom or thral·dom \ˈthrȯl-dəm\ noun

Examples of THRALL

1. <I'm not your thrall, so you'll have to pick up after yourself.>
2. <a people who still bear the scars of having been in thrall for so many years>

Origin of THRALL

Middle English thral, from Old English thræl, from Old Norse thræll

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to THRALL

Synonyms

bondman (also bondsman), chattel, slave

Antonyms

freeman

Related Words

bondwoman (also bondswoman), odalisque; helot, serf; bond servant, indentured servant; attendant, domestic, drudge, handmaiden (also handmaid), lackey, menial, servant, slavey

Near Antonyms

freedman, freedwoman; enslaver, slave driver, slaveholder, slaver; master, taskmaster

Rhymes with THRALL

all, awl, ball, bawl, brawl, call, caul, crawl, doll, drawl, fall, gall, hall, haul, kraal, mall, maul, moll, pall, pawl, Saul, scall, scrawl, shawl, small, spall, sprawl, squall, stall, tall, trawl, wall, yawl

²thrall

transitive verb

Definition of THRALL

archaic

: enthrall, enslave

First Known Use of THRALL

13th century