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travail
[ truh-veyl, trav-eyl ]
/ trÉËveÉȘl, ËtrĂŠv eÉȘl /
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noun
painfully difficult or burdensome work; toil.
pain, anguish or suffering resulting from mental or physical hardship.
the pain of childbirth.
verb (used without object)
to suffer the pangs of childbirth; be in labor.
to toil or exert oneself.
QUIZ
THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?
Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.
Question 1 of 7
In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known asâŠ
Origin of travail
1200â50; (v.) Middle English travaillen<Old French travaillier to torment <Vulgar Latin *trepaliÄre to torture, derivative of Late Latin trepÄlium torture chamber, literally, instrument of torture made with three stakes (see tri-, pale2); (noun) Middle English <Old French: suffering, derivative of travailler
Words nearby travail
traumatic, traumatism, traumatize, traumatology, trav., travail, Travancore, trave, travel, travel agency, travel agent
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use travail in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for travail
travail
/ (ËtrĂŠveÉȘl) literary /
noun
painful or excessive labour or exertion
the pangs of childbirth; labour
verb
(intr) to suffer or labour painfully, esp in childbirth
Word Origin for travail
C13: from Old French travaillier, from Vulgar Latin tripaliÄre (unattested) to torture, from Late Latin trepÄlium instrument of torture, from Latin tripÄlis having three stakes, from trÄs three + pÄlus stake
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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