travail

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tra·vail / trəˈvāl; ˈtravˌāl/ poetic/lit. • n. (also travails) painful or laborious effort: advice for those who wish to save great sorrow and travail. ∎  labor pains: a woman in travail.• v. [intr.] engage in painful or laborious effort. ∎  (of a woman) be in labor.