travail

Everyday

1. (formal, old) Travail is very hard, tiring work or effort. tree →
2. Travails (plural) are difficulties and troubles someone goes through: "the travails of moving house". tree →
3. (old, Bible) Travail can mean the pain and effort of giving birth: "a woman in travail". tree →

In the lessons

It appears in formal writing, old books and the King James Bible, and sometimes in news or humour about troubles ("the travails of the England team"). In French, "travail" is the ordinary word for "work", which is a false-friend trap. Phrases: "the travails of", "years of travail", "in travail" (old, giving birth).

Examples

• After years of travail, they finished the cathedral. tree →
• The book describes the travails of a family crossing the ocean. tree →
• The team's travails continued with another defeat. tree →
• In the Bible, the woman was in travail before her child was born. tree →
• The farmers travailed in the fields from dawn to dusk. (old) tree →
• We laughed about the travails of our camping trip. tree →
• The travails of the journey made them tired but proud. tree →

Note

Formal and old-fashioned. Pronounced "TRAV-ail" (rhymes with "gravel" plus "ale", stress on first syllable, often "truh-VAIL"). False friend: French "travail" just means "work" or "job". Do not confuse with "travel", though both come from the same old word.

In Jewish tradition

In the Torah it is used for Rachel's and Tamar's labour in childbirth, and for the hardships Israel suffered, which Moses lists to the king of Edom. In the primary lessons: It appears in formal writing, old books and the King James Bible, and sometimes in news or humour about troubles ("the travails of the England team"). In French, "travail" is the ordinary word for "work", which is a false-friend trap. Phrases: "the travails of", "years of travail", "in travail" (old, giving birth).

Examples

• And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb. (Torah GEN.38.27, JPS 1917) tree →
• And they journeyed from Beth-el; and there was still some way to come to Ephrath; and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour. (Torah GEN.35.16, JPS 1917) tree →
• And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom: 'Thus saith thy brother Israel: Thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us; (Torah NUM.20.14, JPS 1917) tree →
• See mine affliction and my travail; and forgive all my sins. (Writings PSA.25.18, JPS 1917) tree →
• For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. (Prophets ISA.66.8, JPS 1917) tree →
• He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail. (Writings LAM.3.5, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Formal and old-fashioned. Pronounced "TRAV-ail" (rhymes with "gravel" plus "ale", stress on first syllable, often "truh-VAIL"). False friend: French "travail" just means "work" or "job". Do not confuse with "travel", though both come from the same old word.

Early Modern English

Meaning

Painful, hard work or effort; in the first sentence it means the pains of childbirth. tree →

Then and now

Today "travail" is rare and formal; we usually say "labour" or "hard work." All three sentences use the old sense of toil or painful effort.

Examples

• And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb. (Torah GEN.38.27, JPS 1917) tree →
• And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom: 'Thus saith thy brother Israel: Thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us; (Torah NUM.20.14, JPS 1917) tree →
• Unto the woman He said: 'I will greatly multiply thy pain and thy travail; in pain thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.' (Torah GEN.3.16, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Today: hard work, labour pains.