moil

American  

[moil] / mɔɪl /

verb (used without object)

1. to work hard; drudge.

2. to whirl or churn ceaselessly; twist; eddy.

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verb (used with object)

1. Archaic. to wet or smear.

noun

1. hard work or drudgery.

2. confusion, turmoil, or trouble.

3. Glassmaking. a superfluous piece of glass formed during blowing and removed in the finishing operation.

4. Mining. a short hand tool with a polygonal point, used for breaking or prying out rock.

moil British  

/ mɔɪl /

verb

1. to moisten or soil or become moist, soiled, etc

2. (intr) to toil or drudge (esp in the phrase toil and moil )

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noun

1. toil; drudgery

2. confusion; turmoil

Other Word Forms

• moiler
  noun
• unmoiled
  adjective
• moilingly
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of moil

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English mollen, mulllen, “to make or get wet and muddy,” from Middle French moillier, from unrecorded Vulgar Latin molliāre, derivative of Latin mollis “soft”

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

moil

Last week, he dashed into a moil of rioting Juliette Barnes fans to save Maddie when a shelf fell on her head.

From Slate ● Apr. 2, 2013

Facing the awesome grandeur and cruel humors of the weather, ancient man was forced to attribute the mysterious cosmic moil to deities.

From Time Magazine Archive

Ill-health having retired him from the moil of politics, he has been teaching law at the University of Colorado since 1917.

From Time Magazine Archive

IX Amid Homeric moil and treachery the city of Shanghai changed hands, last week, falling to China's best detested War Lord, Chang Tsung-chang, called "Chang of Shantung."

From Time Magazine Archive

I say it's a great comfort and uplift to Malc and me when we toil and moil and perspire up here, to remember there's one lady in the family anyhow.

From 'Lizbeth of the Dale by Mary Esther Miller MacGregor

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