Dictionary

labour en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /ˈleɪ.bɚ/ (General-American)
• (UK) audio
• /ˈleɪ.bə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English labor, labour, labur, from Old French labor (modern labeur) and its etymon, Latin labor.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) An effort expended on a particular task; toil, work.
   • […]So I ſet myſelf to enlarge my Cave and Works farther into the Earth; for it was a looſe ſandy Rock, which yielded eaſily to the Labour I beſtowed on it[…] 1719 May 6 (Gregorian calendar), [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLC, page 78:
2. (countable, uncountable) That which requires hard work for its accomplishment; that which demands effort.
   • Being a labour of so great difficulty, the exact performance thereof we may rather wish than look for. [1594], Richard Hooker, edited by J[ohn] S[penser], Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], London: […] Iohn Windet, […], →OCLC, (please specify the page):
3. (uncountable) Workers in general; the working class, the workforce; sometimes specifically the labour movement, organised labour.
   • In the autumn there was a row at some cement works about the unskilled labour men. A union had just been started for them and all but a few joined. One of these blacklegs was laid for by a picket and knocked out of time. 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XLIV, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC, pages 364–365:
4. (uncountable) A political party or force aiming or claiming to represent the interests of labour.
5. (countable, uncountable) The act or process of a mother giving birth.
   • Paul Doherty came to the rescue when his wife Georgina went into labour early just minutes from their local hospital. 2017 March 7, Stephen Maguire, “Hero Irish dad reveals he had to tell car valet he ‘wasn’t up to anything illegal’ after wife gave birth on back seat on Donegal road”, in The Irish Sun, archived from the original on 06 Dec 2021:
   • Near-synonyms: childbirth, parturition
6. (countable, uncountable) The time period during which a mother gives birth.
7. (countable, uncountable) The pitching or tossing of a vessel which results in the straining of timbers and rigging.
8. (countable, historical, uncountable) A traditional unit of area in Mexico and Texas, equivalent to 177.1 acres or 71.67 ha.
   • the establishment of a new settlement are entitled to five sitios of grazing land, and five labors (equal to 23,025 acres) 1841, William Kennedy, Texas: The Rise, Progress, and Prospects of the Republic of Texas:
9. (collective, countable, rare, uncountable) A group of moles.
   • According to the local authority, the development site is home to a labour of moles which have now started appearing in the neighbouring cemetery with scores of molehills now visible across the grounds. 2025 March 17, Elliot Jessett, “Dad in tears when he turned up at wife's grave and saw what had happened”, in Liverpool Echo:
   • Although we're not the biggest fans of Glitch Hop, the stage itself makes the experience out of this world, no matter what music the DJs are spinning. It’s as though a UFO has crashed landed in the trees of Houghton Hall, and with the Bass rumbling through the underground speakers like a labour of moles burrowing under your feet, you are sure to have a great time at this stage. 2012 June 25, Jayne Robinson, “Festival review: Glade 2012”, in Skiddle:
   • Hidden from its broader surrounding, a labor of moles can toil with the materiality of its existence — Earth — but must always heed barriers to their subterranean sphere. 2014 Fall, Cyrus Shahan, Environment, Space, Place, volume 6, number 2, Zeta Books, page 118:

Forms

Coordinates

delivery · sitio (unit of area) · vara (1/1,000,000 labor) (unit of area)

Deriveds

wage labour · mislabour · outlabour · labourous · prelabour · labour share · lip-labour · labour-saving · microlabour · mountain in labour · labour action · labour aristocracy · laborite · labour power · labour-intensive · surplus labour · bonded labour · forced labour · emotional labour · laboursome · labouress · labour force · socially necessary labour time · hard labour · labour relations · labour theory of value · labour market · big labour · sexual division of labour · nonlabour · labour lawyer · labour the point · labour law · labour camp · labour-saver · labour union · division of labour · labour exchange · labour-value theory · labour pain (The act of a mother giving birth) · aristocracy of labour · slave labour · overlabour · anti-labour · labour value theory · back labour · micro-labour · labour court · compound labour · in labour · child labour · manual labour · labour of love · Sisyphean labour

Relateds

laborious · laboural

Synonyms

work (work) · parturition · quarter-section (unit of area) · childbirth · swink (work) · toil (work)

Translations (236)

scn sgravamentu (giving birth) · sk práca (work) · yi אַרבעט (work) · tr emek (work) · mk труд (work) · my အလုပ် (work) · it lavoro (work) · it parto (giving birth) · grc μόχθος (hard work) · cs porodní bolesti (giving birth) · mi taunahua (giving birth) · mi whānautanga (giving birth) · fr travaillistes (political party) · uk труд (work) · hu munkásság (workers) · pt labuta (work) · hy ծննդաբերություն (giving birth) · de Wehen (giving birth) · bg те́жка ра́бота (hard work) · uk пра́ця (work) · got 𐌰𐍂𐌱𐌰𐌹𐌸𐍃 (work) · scn travagghiu pisanti (hard work) · orv робота (work) · gd saothair (work) · ru ро́ды (giving birth) · ru тяжёлая рабо́та (hard work) · ko 로동 (work) · hu munka (work) · ug ئەمگەك (work) · tg шуғл (work) · de Arbeit (work) · tk zähmet (work) · af arbeid (work) · mn хөдөлмөр (work) · ang earfoþe (giving birth) · fi aherrus (work) · it travaglio (giving birth) · fi työvoima (workers) · az əmək (work) · he עָמָל (work) · az əziyyət (work) · cmn 勞動 /劳动 (work) · gd luchd-obrach (workers) · be ро́ды (giving birth) · hi काम (work) · pt trabalho (work) · rsk трудба (work) · uz ish (work) · ang weorc (work) · scn travagghiaturi (workers) · gd obair (work) · fr parti travailliste (political party) · pl robota (hard work) · es parición (giving birth) · cmn 生產 /生产 (giving birth) · mn ажил (work) · tr iş (work) · fi työläiset (workers) · scn travagghiu (work) · eo laboro (work) · de Arbeiter (workers) · th แรงงาน (work) · yi קימפּעט (giving birth) · es paritorio (giving birth) · ru рабо́чий класс (workers) · io laboro (work) · io parturo (giving birth) · id tenaga kerja (work) · da fødselsveer (giving birth) · te కార్మికులు (workers) · es trabajo (work) · th งาน (work) · grc πόνος (hard work) · ang earfoþe (work) · bn কাজ (work) · fr travail (giving birth) · ja 出産 (giving birth) · tg меҳнат (work) · el δουλειά (work) · ga saothar (work) · mi whakatina (giving birth) · bg рабо́тници (workers) · eo akuŝpeno (giving birth) · he עֲבוֹדָה (work) · pl praca (work) · fr effort (work) · sv arbete (work) · scn lavuri (work) · ms kerja (work) · ro lucrători (workers) · fr travail (work) · ang wyrhtan (workers) · grc τοκετός (giving birth) · fr ouvriers (workers) · kk жұмыс (work) · ml പ്രസവം (giving birth) · kk қызмет (work) · cy llafur (work) · vec laóro (work) · yue 勞動 /劳动 (work) · ur کام (work) · is léttasótt (giving birth) · it lavoratori (workers) · ky кызмат (work) · mi mahi (work) · id kerja (work) · hy երկունք (giving birth) · kk еңбек (work) · az iş (work) · tg зоймон (giving birth) · grc ἔργον (work) · el κόπος (hard work) · ur مِحْنَت (work) · ky иш (work) · cs pracovní síly (workers) · scn partu (giving birth) · hy աշխատանք (work) · osx arƀed (work) · cs porod (giving birth) · is vinna (work) · uk ро́ди (giving birth) · ro muncitori (workers) · vi lao động (work) · tt хезмәт (work) · fr accouchement (giving birth) · es trabajadores (workers) · el ωδίνες τοκετού (giving birth) · ja 労働 (work) · bn মেহনত (work) · pl poród (giving birth) · hu szülés (giving birth) · he לֵדָה (giving birth) · lo ນັກງານ (work) · hi श्रम (work) · nl arbeid (work) · pdt Woakj (work) · sl delo (work) · cu ⱅⱃⱆⰴⱏ (work) · fa-ira مِحْنَت (work) · ko 출산 (giving birth) · nah tequiua (work) · sh ра̑д (work) · scn travagghiatura (workers) · el γέννα (giving birth) · tr işçiler (workers) · bg труд (work) · fi synnytys (giving birth) · rm lavur (work) · sh rȃd (work) · ka შრომა (work) · pt mão de obra (workers) · cu ⱃⰰⰱⱁⱅⰰ (work) · ko 노동 (work) · lo ແຮງງານ (work) · nl bevalling (giving birth) · sq punë (work) · cs práce (work) · fr labeur (hard work) · fr travailleurs (workers) · kk іс (work) · es parto (giving birth) · lld lëur (work) · orv трудъ (work) · my လုပ်အား (work) · pt parto (giving birth) · cu троудъ (work) · cu работа (work) · el εργατικό κόμμα (political party) · bn শ্রম (work) · es campesinos (workers) · fr besogne (hard work) · cs dělnictvo (workers) · ur شُغْل (work) · ru труд (work) · uz mehnat (work) · ga obair (work) · txb lāṃs (work) · uk поло́ги (giving birth) · ro muncă (work) · uk ро́диво (giving birth) · el μόχθος (hard work) · scn travagghiu (giving birth) · el εργατικοί (political party) · cy gweithwyr (giving birth) · ga tinneas clainne (giving birth) · gd spàirn (giving birth) · nb arbeid (work) · tg кор (work) · mi whakamamae (giving birth) · fa-ira کار (work) · ky эмгек (work) · tt эш (work) · lo ການທຳ (work) · ar عَمَل (work) · nan-hbl 勞動 /劳动 (work) · uk роди́ны (giving birth) · tk iş (work) · ar شُغْل (work) · ru рабо́та (work) · it lavoranti (workers) · fa-ira زایْمان (giving birth) · mi taimahi (workers) · el εργασία (work) · da arbejde (work) · bg роди́лни мъ́ки (giving birth) · fur lavôr (work) · nn fødselsvear (giving birth) · fa-ira شُغْل (work) · ba эш (work) · mi reipa (political party) · nb fødselsveer (giving birth) · cs námaha (work) · te శ్రమ (work) · el τοκετός (giving birth) · ml അധ്വാനം (work) · mi whakarīrā (hard work) · ist lavur (work) · acw طَلْق (giving birth) · be пра́ца (work) · ar مَخَاض (giving birth) · sv arbetskraft (workers) · az zəhmət (work) · km ការងារ (work) · el εργατικό δυναμικό (workers) · mi whānau (giving birth) · pdt Oabeit (work) · got 𐌰𐍂𐌱𐌰𐌹𐌸𐍃 (hard work) · ru рабо́чие (workers) · th การงาน (work) · gd saothair (giving birth) · it doglie (giving birth) · lo ງານ (work) · te ప్రసవం (giving birth) · cy gwaith (work) · ky жумуш (work) · ang ġeswinc (hard work)

labour en · VERB · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• /ˈleɪ.bɚ/ (General-American)
• (UK) audio
• /ˈleɪ.bə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English labouren, from Old French laborer, from Latin laborare (“(intransitive) to labor, strive, exert oneself, suffer, be in distress, (transitive) to work out, elaborate”), from labor (“labor, toil, work, exertion”); perhaps remotely akin to robur (“strength”). Displaced native English swink (“toil, labor”).

Meanings

1. (intransitive) To toil, to work.
   • Standing on the mountain above Caerphilly, one may reflect upon the gap where once stood Llanbradach Viaduct, and look near at hand upon the restored ruins of Caerphilly Castle; man labours to rebuild the mediaeval whilst he ruthlessly scraps the modern. 1939 September, D. S. Barrie, “The Railways of South Wales”, in Railway Magazine, page 165:
   • "Crab" 2-6-0 No 42802 labours up to Beattock Summit with a northbound freight from Carlisle in August 1960. 1961 May, “Beattock Interlude”, in Trains Illustrated, page 287, photo caption:
2. (transitive) To belabour, to emphasise or expand upon (a point in a debate, etc).
   • It is needless to labor a point which is so well known. Everyone understands and appreciates the joy of finding that the long darkness is giving way, that the Sun is growing in strength, and that the days are winning a victory over the nights. 1920, Edward Carpenter, Pagan and Christian Creeds, New York: Harcourt, Brace and Co., published 1921, page 36:
   • I think we've all got the idea. There's no need to labour the point.
3. To be oppressed with difficulties or disease; to do one's work under conditions which make it especially hard or wearisome; to move slowly, as against opposition, or under a burden.
   • the stone that labours up the hill 1726, George Granville, Love:
   • to cure the disorder under which he laboured 1821 January 8, [Walter Scott], Kenilworth; a Romance. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; and John Ballantyne, […]; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC:
   • The line too labours, and the words move slow. 1711 May, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Criticism, London: […] W[illiam] Lewis […]; and sold by W[illiam] Taylor […], T[homas] Osborn[e] […], and J[ohn] Graves […], →OCLC:
4. To suffer the pangs of childbirth.
5. To pitch or roll heavily, as a ship in a turbulent sea.
   • the ship laboured so much, and took in so much water in her upper works, that we could neither eat, nor sleep dry 1808, William Gilpin, Memoirs of Josias Rogers, Esq:

Forms

Deriveds

labour-saving · labourism · labourist · labourer · marmalade labour · labourite

Relateds

laboratory

Synonyms

grind

Translations (37)

txb lāṃs- (to work) · fr travailler (to work) · uk труди́тися (to work) · got 𐌰𐍂𐌱𐌰𐌹𐌳𐌾𐌰𐌽 (to work) · ar عَمَلَ (to work) · cmn 工作 (to work) · el μοχθώ (to work) · io laborar (to work) · ru рабо́тать (to work) · hy աշխատել (to work) · pt trabalhar (to work) · el δουλεύω (to work) · got 𐍅𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌺𐌾𐌰𐌽 (to work) · ru труди́ться (to work) · el εργάζομαι (to work) · it lavorare (to work) · hu vajúdik (to suffer the pangs of childbirth) · fi raataa (to work) · mi whakarīrā (to work) · chr ᏚᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎭ (to work) · mi whakatoutou (to suffer the pangs of childbirth) · ur کام کرنا (to work) · bg работя (to work) · sv arbeta (to work) · hi काम करना (to work) · ang swincan (to work) · ko 일하다 (to work) · grc ἐργάζομαι (to work) · pl pracować (to work) · fi ahertaa (to work) · grc πονέω (to work) · ja 働く (to work) · el κοπιάζω (to work) · bg трудя се (to work) · es trabajar (to work) · ml അധ്വാനിക്കുക (to work) · de arbeiten (to work)