[tra.vail] n [ME, fr. OF, fr. travaillier to torture, labor, fr. (assumed) VL trepaliare to torture, fr. LL trepalium instrument of torture, fr. L tripalis having three stakes, fr. tri- + palus stake--more at pole] (13c) 1 a: work esp. of a painful or laborious nature: toil b: a physical or mental exertion or piece of work: task, effort c: agony, torment
2: labor, parturition syn see work
[2]travail vi [ME, fr. OF travaillier] (13c) 1: to labor hard: toil
2: labor 3