TOIL

I. noun Etymology: Middle English ~e, from Anglo-French toyl, from ~ler Date: 14th century 1. archaic struggle , battle , laborious effort, long strenuous fatiguing labor, see: work ~ful adjective ~fully adverb II. verb see: contusion Date: 14th century intransitive verb to work hard and long, to proceed with laborious effort ; plod , transitive verb overwork , to get or accomplish with great effort, ~er noun III. noun see: subtle Date: circa 1529 a net to trap game, something by which one is held fast or inextricably involved ; snare , trap