---
title: travail — Early Modern English dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «travail» in the Early Modern English dictionary: Painful, hard work or effort; in the first sentence it means the pains of childbirth. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# travail

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** sentence, it, twins, her, Moses, Thou · **What happens:** mean, pain, come, pass, be, travail · **To what, where:** pains, childbirth, that, womb, messengers, Kadesh · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«travail» in the Early Modern English dictionary: its meaning for a pupil and its 3 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [travail in the Early Modern English dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/emode/w/travail.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Painful, hard work or effort; in the first sentence it means the pains of childbirth.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:travail:m1:1
# text = Painful, hard work or effort; in the first sentence it means the pains of childbirth.
1	Painful	painful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
3	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	work	work	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	effort	effort	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	13	punct	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	first	first	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	11	amod	_	_
11	sentence	sentence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
12	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
13	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	conj	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	pains	pain	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obj	_	_
16	of	of	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	childbirth	childbirth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | sentence | the pains of childbirth |  |  |  | in the first sentence | vn representation-110.1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Pivot pain=Theme in sentence=Attribute |
| 2 | **pain** |  |  | childbirth |  |  |  |  | nom pain «state transitive»: of=patient |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb.

<!-- .note -->
From Torah GEN.38.27, JPS 1917.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:travail:x1:1
# text = And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb.
1	And	and	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
2	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	pass	pass	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
11	travail	travail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
13	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
15	behold	behold	INTJ	UH	_	5	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
17	twins	twin	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	21	nsubj	_	_
18	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	21	cop	_	_
19	in	in	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	21	nmod:poss	_	_
21	womb	womb	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** | past | it |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **pass** | to-infinitive |  | that |  |  | time |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **is** | past | twins |  |  | her womb |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **travail** |  | her *= she* |  |  |  |  |  | nom travail «state intransitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom: 'Thus saith thy brother Israel: Thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us;

<!-- .note -->
From Torah NUM.20.14, JPS 1917.

<!-- fold The tree, 25 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:travail:x2:1
# text = And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom: 'Thus saith thy brother Israel: Thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us;
1	And	and	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
2	Moses	Moses	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	sent	send	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	messengers	messenger	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	from	from	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	Kadesh	Kadesh	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
7	unto	unto	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	king	king	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	Edom	edom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	15	punct	_	_
13	'	'	PUNCT	``	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	Thus	thus	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
15	saith	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Style=Arch|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
16	thy	thy	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	17	nmod:poss	_	_
17	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	_
18	Israel	Israel	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	17	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	21	punct	_	_
20	Thou	thou	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	21	nsubj	_	_
21	knowest	know	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Style=Arch|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	conj	_	_
22	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	24	det:predet	_	_
23	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
24	travail	travail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	obj	_	_
25	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	26	nsubj	_	_
26	hath	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Style=Arch|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	24	acl:relcl	_	_
27	befallen	befallen	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	26	xcomp	_	_
28	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	27	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **send** | past | Moses | messengers |  | Kadesh |  | unto the king of Edom | vn send-11.1-1 «NP V NP PP.initial\_location»: agent=Agent messenger=Theme from kadesh=Initial\_Location |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | present |  | thy brother |  |  |  | thus *property* | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent brother=Topic |
| 3 | **know** | present | Thou | all travail |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Experiencer travail=Stimulus |
| 4 | **have** | present | all travail |  |  |  |  | befallen *property* | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Unto the woman He said: 'I will greatly multiply thy pain and thy travail; in pain thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.'

<!-- .note -->
From Torah GEN.3.16, JPS 1917.

<!-- fold The tree, 35 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:travail:x3:1
# text = Unto the woman He said: 'I will greatly multiply thy pain and thy travail; in pain thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.'
1	Unto	unto	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	woman	woman	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
4	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
7	'	'	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
9	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
10	greatly	greatly	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
11	multiply	multiply	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	ccomp	_	_
12	thy	thy	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	13	nmod:poss	_	_
13	pain	pain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
15	thy	thy	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	16	nmod:poss	_	_
16	travail	travail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
18	in	in	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
19	pain	pain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	obl	_	_
20	thou	thou	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	22	nsubj	_	_
21	shalt	shall	AUX	MD	Style=Arch|VerbForm=Fin	22	aux	_	_
22	bring	bring	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	parataxis	_	_
23	forth	forth	ADV	RB	_	22	advmod	_	_
24	children	child	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	22	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	33	punct	_	_
26	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	33	cc	_	_
27	thy	thy	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	28	nmod:poss	_	_
28	desire	desire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	33	nsubj	_	_
29	shall	shall	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	33	aux	_	_
30	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	33	cop	_	_
31	to	to	ADP	IN	_	33	case	_	_
32	thy	thy	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	33	nmod:poss	_	_
33	husband	husband	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
34	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	38	punct	_	_
35	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	38	cc	_	_
36	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	38	nsubj	_	_
37	shall	shall	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	38	aux	_	_
38	rule	rule	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	parataxis	_	_
39	over	over	ADP	IN	_	40	case	_	_
40	thee	thou	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	38	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
41	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	38	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
42	'	'	PUNCT	''	_	38	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | He |  |  |  |  | unto the woman | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **multiply** | future | I | thy pain and thy travail |  |  |  | greatly *property* | vn multiply-108-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent pain=Theme |
| 3 | **bring** | shall | thou |  | children | pain |  | forth *property* | vn bring-11.3-1 «NP V NP ADVP»: agent=Instrument child=Destination |
| 4 | **is** | shall | thy desire |  |  |  |  | to thy husband | tree rules |
| 5 | **rule** | shall | husband |  |  | thee |  |  | vn dub-29.3.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 6 | **pain** |  | thy |  |  |  |  |  | nom pain «state transitive»: poss=agent |
| 7 | **travail** |  | thy |  |  |  |  |  | nom travail «state intransitive»: poss=agent |
| 8 | **desire** |  | thy |  |  |  |  |  | nom desire «feeling transitive»: poss=agent |

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**Text:** the Early Modern English dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova; its examples quote public-domain texts. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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