Word Genius * Moil *

Moil


[moyl]

Part of speech: verb

Origin: Latin, mid-16th century
1.
Work hard.
2.
Move around in confusion or agitation.

Examples of Moil in a sentence

"You'll need to moil to get the bulbs planted before a frost, but it will be worth it in the spring."
"She seemed lost as she moiled around the street corner."

About Moil
As a verb, "moil" primarily means "to work very hard." But if you work too hard, you might get overwhelmed or overheated. In comes the second definition of "moil," meaning "to move around in agitation."
Did you Know?
The modern definition of "moil" is the opposite of its roots. In Latin, "mollis" means "soft," and "moil" originally meant "to moisten or soften" a substance. But if you're laboring in mud, it's probably pretty hard work, and that's likely how "moil" came to mean "strenuous work."