/ tɔɪl; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb [ v ] ( formal )
1.
to work very hard and/or for a long time, usually doing hard physical work
SYN slave away
2.
[+ adv. / prep. ] to move slowly and with difficulty
SYN slog :
They toiled up the hill in the blazing sun.
► toil·er noun
■ noun
[ U ] ( formal or literary ) hard unpleasant work that makes you very tired :
a life of hardship and toil
—see also toils
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (in the senses contend verbally and strife ): from Anglo-Norman French toiler strive, dispute, toil confusion, from Latin tudiculare stir about, from tudicula machine for crushing olives, related to tundere crush.