gruelling (adj.)youdaoicibaDictYouDict[gruelling 词源字典]
also grueling, "exhausting, punishing," 1852, present participle adjective from gruel (v.) "to punish," from late 18c. slang get (or have) one's gruel "receive one's punishment," from gruel (n.).[gruelling etymology, gruelling origin, 英语词源]