n. [ F. toiles, pl., toils, nets, fr. toile cloth, canvas, spider web, fr. L. tela any woven stuff, a web, fr. texere to weave. See Text, and cf. Toilet. ] A net or snare; any thread, web, or string spread for taking prey; -- usually in the plural. [ 1913 Webster ]

As a Numidian lion, when first caught,
Endures the toil that holds him. Denham. [ 1913 Webster ]

Then toils for beasts, and lime for birds, were found. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. toil turmoil, struggle; cf. OD. tuyl labor, work. See Toil, v. ] Labor with pain and fatigue; labor that oppresses the body or mind, esp. the body. [ 1913 Webster ]

My task of servile toil. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

After such bloody toil, we bid good night. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Toil is used in the formation of compounds which are generally of obvious signification; as, toil-strung, toil-wasted, toil-worn, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Labor; drudgery; work; exertion; occupation; employment; task; travail. -- Toil, Labor, Drudgery. Labor implies strenuous exertion, but not necessary such as overtasks the faculties; toil denotes a severity of labor which is painful and exhausting; drudgery implies mean and degrading work, or, at least, work which wearies or disgusts from its minuteness or dull uniformity. [ 1913 Webster ]

You do not know the heavy grievances,
The toils, the labors, weary drudgeries,
Which they impose. Southern. [ 1913 Webster ]

How often have I blessed the coming day,
When toil remitting lent its turn to play. Goldsmith. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To weary; to overlabor. [ Obs. ] “Toiled with works of war.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To labor; to work; -- often with out. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Places well toiled and husbanded. Holland. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ I ] toiled out my uncouth passage. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Toiled p. pr. & vb. n. Toiling. ] [ OE. toilen to pull about, to toil; of uncertain origin; cf. OD. teulen, tuylen, to labor, till, or OF. tooillier, toailler, to wash, rub (cf. Towel); or perhaps ultimately from the same root as E. tug. ] To exert strength with pain and fatigue of body or mind, especially of the body, with efforts of some continuance or duration; to labor; to work. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who toils, or labors painfully. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. toilette, dim. of toile cloth. See Toil a net. ] 1. A covering of linen, silk, or tapestry, spread over a table in a chamber or a dressing room. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A dressing table. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Act or mode of dressing, or that which is arranged in dressing; attire; dress; as, her toilet is perfect. [ Written also toilette. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Toilet glass, a looking-glass for a toilet table or for a dressing room. --
Toilet service,
Toilet set, earthenware, glass, and other utensils for a dressing room. --
Toilet table, a dressing table; a toilet. See def. 2 above. --
To snake one's toilet, to dress one's self; especially, to dress one's self carefully. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. ] See Toilet, 3. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Producing or involving much toil; laborious; toilsome; as, toilful care. Mickle. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. toilinet. See Toil a net. ] A cloth, the weft of which is of woolen yarn, and the warp of cotton and silk, -- used for waistcoats. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Free from toil. [ 1913 Webster ]