1550s, "severe toil, hard work, drudgery;" from slave (v.) + -ery. Meaning "state of servitude" is from 1570s; meaning "keeping or holding of slaves" is from 1728.
权威例句
1. They called on the authorities to make slavery a punishable offence.
他们呼吁当局将蓄奴定为一种应该受到惩罚的罪行。
2. After 1760 few Americans refrained from condemning slavery as evil.