toil
/tɔɪl/ (bre, ipa) · [tˈɔɪl] /tɔɪl/ (ame, ipa) · [tˈɔɪl] /ˈtȯi(-ə)l/ (ame, mw)
toil — 名詞
1. long, demanding work that leaves the body feeling worn out.
苦工
使身體很累的辛苦勞動
long, demanding work that leaves the body feeling worn out.
After ten hours of farm toil, Rodrigo could barely lift his boots.
做了十小時農場苦工後，Rodrigo 幾乎抬不起靴子。
pattern: hours of toil
The bridge was built through years of dangerous underground toil.
這座橋是靠多年危險的地下苦工建成的。
pattern: years of toil
Daily household toil left Saira too tired to read at night.
每天的家務苦工讓 Saira 晚上累得連書都讀不下去。
Generations of factory toil damaged many workers' backs and knees.
好幾代人的工廠苦工弄壞了許多工人的背和膝蓋。
文法句型
hours of toil
years of toil
manual toil
用法筆記
Usually uncountable and often chosen when the work feels exhausting, repetitive, or joyless. It sounds stronger and more negative than the neutral noun 'work'.
常見錯誤
toil — 動詞
- toilpresent simple I / you / we / they
- toilshe / she / it
- toiledpast simple
- toiling-ing form
1. to keep doing difficult work hour after hour, often until you feel worn out.
苦幹
長時間賣力做辛苦工作
to keep doing difficult work hour after hour, often until you feel worn out.
Vivek toiled in the rice field from sunrise to noon.
Vivek 從日出忙到中午，在稻田裡埋頭苦幹。
pattern: toil in + place
During exam week, Christopher toiled over pages of chemistry notes.
考試那週，Christopher 對著一頁頁化學筆記埋頭苦幹。
pattern: toil over + task
Two mechanics toiled all night to fix the broken ferry engine.
兩名技師苦幹了一整夜，想修好壞掉的渡輪引擎。
Soraya toiled away in the bakery while the town was still dark.
天還沒亮時，Soraya 就在麵包店裡苦幹個不停。
- labor
the closest neutral equivalent, especially in formal writing.
- slog
more informal and stresses unpleasant effort.
- grind away
informal and often suggests repetitive, exhausting work.
文法句型
toil in + place
toil over + task
toil away
用法筆記
Often appears with place, time, or task phrases such as 'in the fields', 'all night', or 'over a report'. Distinguish from verb sense 2: this sense is about working hard, not about slow movement toward a place.
常見錯誤
2. to go somewhere very slowly while pushing through weight, pain, mud, or another
艱難前進
緩慢費力地朝某方向移動
to go somewhere very slowly while pushing through weight, pain, mud, or another difficulty.
The hikers toiled up the last icy slope before sunset.
那些健行者在日落前艱難前進，爬上最後那段結冰斜坡。
pattern: toil up + slope
Exhausted runners toiled across the muddy field toward the finish line.
筋疲力盡的跑者朝終點線艱難前進，穿過泥濘的場地。
Rescuers toiled through deep snow to reach the village.
救援人員穿過深雪艱難前進，趕往那座村子。
The old truck toiled along the mountain road with a full load.
那輛老卡車載滿貨物，沿著山路艱難前進。
文法句型
toil up + slope
toil through + obstacle
toil along/toward + place
用法筆記
Usually followed by a direction or path phrase such as 'up the hill', 'through snow', or 'along the road'. Distinguish from verb sense 1: here the subject is making slow, difficult progress toward somewhere.