[a. Fr. fatigue masc., f. fatiguer: see next. Cf. Sp. fatiga, It. fatica fem.]
1. Lassitude or weariness resulting from either bodily or mental exertion.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe, I. 323. It having been a Day of great Fatigue to me.
1776. Trial of Nundocomar, 32/2. Imminent danger of expiring from fatigue.
1843. Prescott, Mexico, VII. iii. (1864), 434. Extremities of famine and fatigue.
1874. Morley, Compromise (1886), 8. Is it possible that, after all, our old protestant spirit, with its rationality, its austerity, its steady political energy, has been struck with something of the mortal fatigue that seizes catholic societies after their fits of revolution?
b. transf. The condition of weakness in metals caused by repeated blows or long-continued strain.
1854. Braithwaite, in Proc. Inst. Civil Eng., XIII. 463. Many … accidents on railways … are to be ascribed to that progressive action which may be termed the ‘fatigue of metals.’
1874. Knight, Dict. Mech., I. 827/1. To fatigue is ascribed the breaking of car-axles by the constant repetitive blows and strains incident to their duty.
1885. Engineering, 10 July 31. The law of the fatigue and refreshment of metals.
2. That which causes weariness; † fatiguing labour, ‘trouble’ (obs.); a fatiguing duty or performance, labor, toil.
1669. Temple, Lett. to Pr. Tuscany, Wks. 1731. II. 196. I hope, that after the glorious Fatigues which have hitherto been the Diversion of your Highness, you will now find Pleasure in the softness of Repose.
1691. Wood, Ath. Oxon., II. 644. When the Treaty for the delivery of it [Oxon] up for the use of the Parliament was in agitation, he [John Rushworth] was often posting to London upon intermessages and fatigues, till it was concluded.
1695. Woodward, Nat. Hist. Earth, I. 35. It is indeed a Question of great Antiquity: and which hath, for vmany Ages, given no small Fatigue to Learned Men.
1712. W. Rogers, Voy., 364. ’Twas agreed to make a handsome Present to the Governour’s Deputy, who had the Fatigue to get our Provisions together, wherein he us’d all possible dispatch.
1780. Burke, Corr. (1844), II. 381. The fatigues of the election are over.
1844. H. H. Wilson, Brit. India, II. 305. In addition to the dangers and toils of the engagement, the men were much distressed by want of food and water, and by the fatigues of their previous march.
1866. Geo. Eliot, F. Holt (1868), 12. Sight had become one of the day’s fatigues.
3. The extra-professional duties of a soldier, sometimes allotted to him as punishment for misdemeanour; an instance of this.
1776. A. Ward, in Sparks, Corr. Amer. Rev. (1853), 4 May, I. 191. I … have ordered all the men, not on actual duty, to turn out upon fatigue every day, not allowing any superfluous cooks nor waiters.
1844. Regul. & Ord. Army, 275. The levelling of ground in the vicinity of the Camp or Barracks, and making communications between different parts of them, are duties of fatigue, and are to be performed without any additional pay.
1881. Through the Ranks to a Commission, 57. For the two weeks that I was a private I took my turn at the daily fatigues.
b. Short for fatigue party, and in pl. for fatigue-dress.
1876. Voyle, A Military Dictionary (ed. 3), 135/2. Fatigue.—The term given to a party of soldiers told off for any other duty than a dress parade necessitates.
1890. W. Gore-Browne, Life in a Calvalry Regiment, in 19th Cent., Nov., 850. Change into stable fatigues.
4. attrib. and Comb., as fatigue-blouse; -cap, -jacket, -uniform = fatigue-dress; fatigue-call, the call to fatigue-duty; fatigue-dress, the dress worn by a soldier on fatigue-duty; also transf. fatigue-duty = FATIGUE sb. 3; fatigue-party, a party of soldiers on fatigue-duty; fatigue-work = FATIGUE sb. 3.
1890. T. H. Mann, A Yankee in Andersonville, in Century Mag., XL., Aug., 617/2. A thin *fatigue blouse, which also did duty as a shirt.
1833. Marryat, P. Simple, xvi. A soldier in his *fatigue dress.
1847. Emerson, Repr. Men, Goethe, Wks. (Bohn), I. 387. He had put off a gay uniform for a fatigue dress.
1879. Escott, England, II. 213. The black gown is the fatigue dress of judges.
1873. Burton, Hist. Scot., I. ii. 72. The soldier never slept till he had done his *fatigue-duty.
1852. Lever, Daltons, II. iv. 35. A Cadet, child! Why, do you know that that means a common soldier—a creature that mounts guard with a musket, or carries a bread-bag over its shoulder through the streets in a *fatigue-jacket?
1840. De Quincey, Casuist. Rom. Meals, Wks. 1863, III. 271. A *fatigue party of dustmen sent upon secret service.
1844. Regul. & Ord. Army, 2. A Regiment, Detatchment, Guard, Piquet, or Fatigue-Party, is not entitled to exemption from a Tour of Duty, unless it has marched off the Ground, where it may have been ordered to Parade.
1860. Russell, Diary India, II. xvi. 320. The men of a fatigue party, marched up for the purpose, were emptying out shot, powder, arms, shell, grape, and such things, into the court-yard, which rolled with a hollow boom over the vaults, and about the feet of the Rajah’s horse.
1890. Illust. Lond. News, Christmas, No. 2/1. A grey *fatigue-uniform.
1889. Wolseley, in Times, 15 Feb., 12/3. *Fatigue work, such as carrying coals.
