corvée noun. ['kɔ:veɪ] ME.
[Old & mod. French = Provençal corroada from Proto-Romance use as noun (sc. opera work) of Latin corrogata neut. pl. pa. pple of corrogare summon, formed as COR- + rogare ask.]
A day's unpaid work required of a vassal by a feudal lord; forced labour exacted as a tax, spec. that on public roads in France before 1776; fig. an unpleasant duty, an onerous task.

[TahlilGaran] English Dictionary ▲