lords
C1Formal, Historical, Political
Definition
Meaning
Plural form of 'lord,' referring to male members of the nobility or people with authority and control in a specific domain.
Can refer specifically to the House of Lords (the upper house of the UK Parliament), or used figuratively to denote powerful entities or individuals in a field (e.g., media lords).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The plural form often carries a collective sense, referring to a group of powerful figures or an institution. The connotation depends heavily on context: it can be neutral (parliamentary), respectful (historical), or critical (implying oligarchy).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'Lords' (capitalised) is a core constitutional term for the members of the House of Lords. In the US, the term lacks this specific institutional meaning and is used more broadly or historically.
Connotations
UK: Strong institutional/political connotation. US: Primarily historical/feudal or metaphorical for powerful businessmen.
Frequency
Far more frequent in UK English due to its specific political meaning.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[The] Lords + [verb] (e.g., The Lords approved the bill.)[Determiner] + lords + [of] + [domain] (e.g., the lords of the financial world)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “live like a lord/lords”
- “lord it over someone”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Metaphorical: 'tech lords' or 'lords of industry' to describe dominant corporate leaders.
Academic
Used in historical studies (feudal lords), political science (House of Lords), and literature (characters in medieval settings).
Everyday
Rare in casual conversation. May appear in news about UK politics or in historical dramas.
Technical
In UK constitutional law, a precise term for members of the upper parliamentary chamber.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He lords it over his younger colleagues in the office.
American English
- She lords her knowledge over everyone in the study group.
adjective
British English
- The lords spiritual are bishops in the House of Lords.
American English
- The lords-and-ladies theme was central to the Renaissance fair.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The king and the lords lived in big castles.
- The House of Lords is part of the British Parliament.
- Medieval lords owned vast estates and had many servants.
- The so-called silicon valley lords wield unprecedented influence over global communication.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Lords LORd over lands OR debate in the house of LorDS. (The word contains 'OR' and 'DS' which can stand for 'debating society').
Conceptual Metaphor
POWER IS UP / AUTHORITY IS A HIGH POSITION (e.g., 'the lords of the manor looked down on the villagers').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не переводить автоматически как 'господа' в современном бытовом обращении (это 'gentlemen').
- В контексте Палаты лордов перевод устойчив: 'Палата лордов'.
- 'Drug lord' переводится как 'наркобарон', а не 'нарколорд'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'lords' as a singular noun (e.g., 'He is a lords').
- Misspelling as 'lords' when referring to the possessive 'Lord's' (as in Lord's Cricket Ground).
- Confusing 'Lords' (institution) with 'Lord's' (possessive).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is a correct use of 'lords'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is capitalized when referring specifically to the UK's House of Lords or its members as a collective body (e.g., 'a vote in the Lords'). In general uses (e.g., 'feudal lords'), it is lowercase.
'Lord' is a title for an individual (e.g., Lord Byron). 'Lords' is the plural, referring to multiple individuals with that title or, collectively, to the members of the House of Lords.
Yes, but only in the phrasal verb 'to lord it over someone,' meaning to act in a superior or domineering manner. The third person singular form is 'lords' (e.g., He lords it over them).
In British Received Pronunciation, it is pronounced /lɔːdz/. The vowel is a long 'aw' sound as in 'law,' and the final 'ds' is a /dz/ sound.