Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Toil \Toil\, 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.

         As a Numidian lion, when first caught, Endures the toil
         that holds him.                          --Denham.

         Then toils for beasts, and lime for birds, were found.
                                                  --Dryden.

Toil \Toil\, 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.

Toil \Toil\, v. t.
   1. To weary; to overlabor. [Obs.] ``Toiled with works of
      war.'' --Shak.

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

            Places well toiled and husbanded.     --Holland.

            [I] toiled out my uncouth passage.    --Milton.

Toil \Toil\, 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.

         My task of servile toil.                 --Milton.

         After such bloody toil, we bid good night. --Shak.

   Note: Toil is used in the formation of compounds which are
         generally of obvious signification; as, toil-strung,
         toil-wasted, toil-worn, and the like.

   Syn: Labor; drudgery; work; exertion; occupation; employment;
        task; travail.

   Usage: {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.

                You do not know the heavy grievances, The toils,
                the labors, weary drudgeries, Which they impose.
                                                  --Southern.

                How often have I blessed the coming day, When
                toil remitting lent its turn to play.
                                                  --Goldsmith.

Source : WordNet®

toil
     n : productive work (especially physical work done for wages);
         "his labor did not require a great deal of skill" [syn: {labor},
          {labour}]

toil
     v : work hard; "She was digging away at her math homework";
         "Lexicographers drudge all day long" [syn: {labor}, {labour},
          {fag}, {travail}, {grind}, {drudge}, {dig}, {moil}]