travel

Etymology

PIE word *tréyes From Middle English travelen (“to make a laborious journey, travel”) from Middle Scots travailen (“to toil, work, travel”), alteration of Middle English travaillen (“to toil, work”), from Old French travailler (“to trouble, suffer, be worn out”). See travail. Largely displaced fare, from Old English faran (“to go [a long distance], to travel”). More at fare.

verb

1. (intransitive) To be on a journey, often for pleasure or business and with luggage; to go from one place to another.
   John seems to spend as much time travelling as he does in the office.
   He that feareth oblatration must not travel. 1661, John Stephens, An Historical Discourse..., Prol.
   Then, when Moses had fulfilled the term, and was travelling with his housefolk, he saw in the distance a fire and said unto his housefolk: Bide ye (here). Lo! I see in the distance a fire; peradventure I shall bring you tidings thence, or a brand from the fire that ye may warm yourselves. 1930, Marmaduke Pickthall, transl., The Meaning of the Glorious Koran, surah 28, verse 29
2. (intransitive) To pass from one place to another; to move or transmit.
   Soundwaves can travel through water.
   The supposedly secret news of Mary's engagement travelled quickly through her group of friends.
3. (intransitive, basketball) To move illegally by walking or running without dribbling the ball.
4. (transitive) To travel throughout (a place).
   I’ve travelled the world.
5. (transitive) To force to journey.
6. (obsolete) To labour; to travail.
   Necessity will make men fare hard, and work hard, and travel hard, go bare, and suffer much; yea it will even cut off a leg or arm to save their lives; 1707, Richard Baxter, The Practical Works of the Late Reverend and Pious Mr. Richard Baxter, page 646
   We labour sore, and travel hard, and much Study is a Weariness to our Flesh; and of making many Books there is no End. 1719, William Tilly, The Acceptable Sacrifice, page 335
   Man holds in constant service bound The blustering winds and seas; Nor suns disdain to travel hard Their master, man, to please; 1794, “Resignation”, in A Complete Edition of the Poets of Great Britain.Volume 10, page 144

noun

1. The act of traveling; passage from place to place.
   space travel
   travel to Spain
2. (in the plural) A series of journeys.
   I’m off on my travels around France again.
3. (in the plural) An account of one's travels.
   He released his travels in 1900, two years after returning from Africa.
   CALUAT, s. This in some old travels is used for Ar. khilwat, 'privacy, a private interview' (C. P. Brown, MS.). 1903, Henry Yule, Arthur Burnell, Hobson-Jobson
4. The activity or traffic along a route or through a given point.
5. The working motion of a piece of machinery; the length of a mechanical stroke.
   There was a lot of travel in the handle, because the tool was out of adjustment.
   My drill press has a travel of only 1.5 inches.
6. (obsolete) Labour; parturition; travail.
   Hard Labour is when more vehement Pains and dangerous Symptomes happen to Women in Travel, and continue a longer time. 1667, John Tanner, The hidden treasures of the art of physick, page 208
7. Distance that a keyboard's key moves vertically when depressed.
   The keys have great travel.