Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - travail

 I. noun  Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from ~ler to torment, labor, journey, from Vulgar Latin *trepaliare to torture, from Late Latin trepalium instrument of torture, from Latin tripalis having three stakes, from tri- + palus stake — more at pole  Date: 13th century  1.  a. work especially 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  Synonyms: see work  II. intransitive verb  Date: 13th century  1. to labor hard ; toil  2. labor 3