toil-worn

The farmer's toil-worn hands rested on his knees.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Worn or exhausted by hard work: "toil-worn" describes a person or thing that shows the physical signs of prolonged, strenuous labor. It refers to the state of being fatigued, weary, or marked by the effects of toil.

Usage Examples

• (The farmer was exhausted from physical labor.)
• (Her hands were visibly damaged by hard work.)
• (The tools were worn out from heavy use.)

Advanced Usage

• "toil-worn face": a face that shows deep lines, wrinkles, or fatigue due to hard labor.

  • His toil-worn face told the story of a lifetime of hardship. (His facial features revealed the effects of exhausting work.)

• "toil-worn spirit": a state of mental or emotional exhaustion caused by relentless effort.

  • After decades of struggle, her toil-worn spirit longed for rest. (Her inner energy was depleted by continuous toil.)

Variants and Related Words

• Toil (n): hard, continuous work; labor.

  • The workers endured hours of toil in the hot sun. (They performed physically demanding work.)

• Worn (adj): damaged or weakened by use or age.

  • The worn carpet had visible patches of wear. (The carpet was deteriorated from use.)

• Toilworn (adj): a less common spelling variant of "toil-worn."

  • The toilworn traveler collapsed at the inn. (The traveler was exhausted from journeying.)

Synonyms

• Weary: feeling or showing tiredness, especially from exertion.
• Haggard: looking exhausted and unwell, especially from fatigue or worry.
• Careworn: showing signs of worry or fatigue, often from prolonged stress.

Related Idioms

• "Toil-worn" is not commonly used in idioms, but it appears in literary or descriptive contexts to emphasize the physical cost of labor.
  • The toil-worn miner emerged from the shaft, his eyes hollow. (A descriptive phrase emphasizing exhaustion from mining work.)