moil

¹moil

verb \ˈmȯi(-ə)l\

Definition of MOIL

transitive verb

chiefly dialect

: to make wet or dirty

intransitive verb

1

: to work hard : drudge

2

: to be in continuous agitation : churn, swirl

— moil·er noun

Examples of MOIL

1. <miners moiling all day in the sunless recesses of the earth>
2. <the angry mob moiled around the courthouse>

Origin of MOIL

Middle English mollen, moillen, from Anglo-French moiller, from Vulgar Latin *molliare, from Latin mollis soft — more at mollify

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to MOIL

Synonyms: bang away, beaver (away), dig (away), drudge, endeavor, fag, grub, hump, hustle, labor, peg (away), plod, plow, plug, slave, slog, strain, strive, struggle, sweat, toil, travail, tug, work

Related Words: apply (oneself), buckle (down), dig in, hammer (away), knuckle down, pitch in; attack, drive; essay, try; exercise, exert, overexert, overwork; eke out, grind (out), put out, scrabble, scratch; trudge, wade

Near Antonyms: break, ease (up), let up, slacken; bum, chill, dally, dillydally, footle, goldbrick, goof (off), hack (around), hang (around or out), idle, laze, loaf, lounge, shirk, slack (off), veg out; bask, loll, relax, repose, rest, unwind; dabble, doodle, fool around, fribble, goof (around), hang, hang about [British], mess around, monkey (around), play, potter (around), putter (around), trifle

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