Dictionary - Definition of ALFET

Definition: ALFET


Part of Speech	Definition
Noun	1. A caldron of boiling water into which an accused person plunged his forearm as a test of innocence or guilt.[Websters].
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)		Top

Date "Alfet" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1914. (references)

Specialty Definition: ALFET

Domain	Definition
Law	ALFET, obsolete. A vessel in which hot water was put, for the purpose of dipping a criminal's arm in it up to the elbow. (references)
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.		Top

Extended Definition: ALFET

Alfet

An alfet (mod. form would be ole-vat) was an ancient cauldron filled with boiling water, into which an accused person was to plunge his arm up to his elbow. If hurt, he was held guilty; if not, acquitted. It was also used for purgation.

References

This article incorporates content from the 1728 Cyclopaedia, a publication in the public domain.
Charles Dufresne, Sieur Du Cange, Glossarium mediæ et infimæ Latinitatis. 1840–50; 1883–87.

Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia; from the article "Alfet". Image Credit.
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Topics by Level of Interest: ALFET
Topics sorted by level of Interest	Level (1=low, 600=high)	Topics sorted Alphabetically	Level (1=low, 600=high)
Alfet	2	Alfet	2
Source: the editor, created by/for EVE to gauge likely levels of human interest in linguistically triggered topics (compiled across various sources, such as Wikipedia and specialty expression glosses).

Translations: ALFET