Webster's English Dictionary

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travail

Cross references:
  1. work                  
 
1. tra.vail \tr*-'va-(*)l, 'trav-.a-l\ n [ME, fr. OF, fr. traveillier to 
   torture, travail, fr. (assumed) VL tri]paliare to torture, fr. tropalium 
   instrument of torture, fr. L tripalis having three stakes, fr. tri- + palus 
   stake - more at POLE 1a: work esp. of a painful or laborious nature : TOIL  
   1b: a piece of work : TASK  1c: AGONY, TORMENT  2: LABOR, PARTURITION 
2. travail \like 1; in prayer-book communion service usu 'trav-.a-l\ vi [ME 
   travailen, fr. OF travaillier] 1: to labor hard : TOIL  2: LABOR