View synonyms for

travail

[ truh-veyl, trav-eyl ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

painfully difficult or burdensome work; toil.
Synonyms: ,
pain, anguish or suffering resulting from mental or physical hardship.
Synonyms: ,
the pain of childbirth.

verb (used without object)

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

travail

/ ˈ�ٰ�æ��ɪ�� /

noun

painful or excessive labour or exertion
the pangs of childbirth; labour

verb

intr to suffer or labour painfully, esp in childbirth

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Word 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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Word 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.

At Ferrari, Hamilton's travails this season continued, underlined by the statistic that he has only once so far qualified higher than the seventh place he managed this weekend.

From

Or perhaps better said, he has the disadvantage of his travails, mishaps and bad decisions occupying the foreground.

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McIlroy's travails have been an annual talking point coming into the iconic tournament which takes place every April and is the first of the year's majors.

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

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

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Related Words

trav.Travancore

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