travail
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tra·vail
(trə-vāl′, trăv′āl′)n.
1. Work, especially when arduous or involving painful effort; toil. See Synonyms at work.
2. Tribulation or agony; anguish.
3. The labor of childbirth.
intr.v. tra·vailed, tra·vail·ing, tra·vails
1. To work strenuously; toil.
2. To be in the labor of childbirth.
[Middle English, from Old French, from travailler, to work hard, from Vulgar Latin *tripāliāre, to torture with a tripalium, from Late Latin tripālium, instrument of torture, probably from Latin tripālis, having three stakes : tri-, tri- + pālus, stake; see pag- in Indo-European roots.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
travail
(ˈtræveɪl)n
1. painful or excessive labour or exertion
2. (Gynaecology & Obstetrics) the pangs of childbirth; labour
vb
(Gynaecology & Obstetrics) (intr) to suffer or labour painfully, esp in childbirth
[C13: from Old French travaillier, from Vulgar Latin tripaliāre (unattested) to torture, from Late Latin trepālium instrument of torture, from Latin tripālis having three stakes, from trēs three + pālus stake]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
tra•vail
(trəˈveɪl, ˈtræv eɪl)n.
1. painfully difficult or burdensome work; toil.
2. pain, anguish, or suffering resulting from mental or physical hardship.
3. the pain of childbirth; labor.
v.i. 4. to toil or exert oneself.
5. to suffer the pangs of childbirth; be in labor.
[1200–50; Middle English travaillen (v.) < Old French travaillier to torment < Vulgar Latin *trepaliāre, derivative of Late Latin trepālium torture chamber, literally, instrument of torture made with three stakes (see tri-, pale2)]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
travail
Past participle: travailed
Gerund: travailing
Imperative |
---|
travail |
travail |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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Noun | 1. | ![]() uterine contraction - a rhythmic tightening in labor of the upper uterine musculature that contracts the size of the uterus and pushes the fetus toward the birth canal effacement - shortening of the uterine cervix and thinning of its walls as it is dilated during labor maternity, pregnancy, gestation - the state of being pregnant; the period from conception to birth when a woman carries a developing fetus in her uterus premature labor, premature labour - labor beginning prior to the 37th week of gestation asynclitism, obliquity - the presentation during labor of the head of the fetus at an abnormal angle |
2. | ![]() toil, labor, labour - productive work (especially physical work done for wages); "his labor did not require a great deal of skill" struggle - strenuous effort; "the struggle to get through the crowd exhausted her" difficulty, trouble - an effort that is inconvenient; "I went to a lot of trouble"; "he won without any trouble"; "had difficulty walking"; "finished the test only with great difficulty" least effort, least resistance - the least effortful way to do something exercise, exercising, physical exercise, physical exertion, workout - the activity of exerting your muscles in various ways to keep fit; "the doctor recommended regular exercise"; "he did some exercising"; "the physical exertion required by his work kept him fit" pull - a sustained effort; "it was a long pull but we made it" diligence, application - a diligent effort; "it is a job requiring serious application" overkill - any effort that seems to go farther than would be necessary to achieve its goal supererogation - an effort above and beyond the call of duty overexertion - excessive exertion; so much exertion that discomfort or injury results | |
Verb | 1. | ![]() |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
travail
noun (Literary) toil, suffering, pain, stress, labour, grind (informal), effort, tears, strain, distress, sweat, hard work, slavery, hardship, slog, exertion, drudgery He did whatever he could to ease their travail.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
travail
noun1. Physical exertion that is usually difficult and exhausting:
Informal: sweat.
Chiefly British: fag.
Idiom: sweat of one's brow.
2. The act or process of bringing forth young:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
travail
[ˈtræveɪl] N (archaic or hum) → esfuerzo m penoso (Med) → dolores mpl del partoto be in travail → afanarse, azacanarse (archaic) (Med) → estar de parto
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
travail
n
usu pl (= toils) → Mühen pl; after all the travails of Watergate → nach den schweren Belastungen durch die Watergate-Affäre
(old: = childbirth) → (Geburts)wehen pl
vi
(old, liter: = toil) → sich plagen (old); he travailed in the depths of despair → er litt in tiefer Verzweiflung
(old: in childbirth) → in den Wehen liegen, Wehen haben
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007