51Թ

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View synonyms for

travail

[ truh-veyl, trav-eyl ]

noun

  1. painfully difficult or burdensome work; toil.

    Synonyms: ,

  2. pain, anguish or suffering resulting from mental or physical hardship.

    Synonyms: ,

  3. the pain of childbirth.


verb (used without object)

  1. to suffer the pangs of childbirth; be in labor.
  2. to toil or exert oneself.

travail

/ ˈٰæɪ /

noun

  1. painful or excessive labour or exertion
  2. the pangs of childbirth; labour
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. intr to suffer or labour painfully, esp in childbirth
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of travail1

1200–50; (v.) Middle English travaillen < Old French travaillier to torment < Vulgar Latin *ٰ貹 to torture, derivative of Late Latin ٰܳ torture chamber, literally, instrument of torture made with three stakes ( tri-, pale 2 ); (noun) Middle English < Old French: suffering, derivative of travailler
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of travail1

C13: from Old French travaillier , from Vulgar Latin ٰ貹 (unattested) to torture, from Late Latin ٰܳ instrument of torture, from Latin ٰ having three stakes, from ٰŧ three + ܲ stake
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The central character was conjured out of a deeply personal source—namely, the travails of Stephen King’s mother, Nellie Ruth Pillsbury King.

From

Hanley is 33 years old and with his travails in club football he has every reason to believe that his time is running out.

From

Written by Samy Burch, the film follows the travails of the desert denizen who is tired of being slammed with Acme products as he tries to outsmart the Roadrunner.

From

Despite Wales' travails over the past 18 months, World Cup winner Matt Dawson says England must expect a backlash at the Principality Stadium.

From

The immediate threat, of course, is less to the American public than to the freed attackers’ families, friends and associates whom they blame for their legal travails.

From

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