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   labour

   /ˈleɪbə/

   noun

   • 1. work, especially physical work: "the price of repairs includes labour, parts, and VAT" Similar taskjobchoreundertakingmissioncommissionassignment
   • ▪ workers, especially manual workers, considered collectively: "non-union casual labour" Similar workersemployeesworkmenworkforcestaffworking peopleblue-collar workershandslabourerslabour forcehired handsproletariatwage-earnersmanpowerhuman resourcespersonnelhumorous:livewareOpposite management
   • ▪ workers considered as a social class or political force: "the labour movement"
   • ▪ a government department concerned with a nation's workforce: "the Labour Secretary"
   • 2. the Labour Party: "the Labour leader"
   • 3. the process of childbirth from the start of uterine contractions to delivery: "a woman in labour" Similar childbirthbirthbirthingdeliverynativitycontractionslabour painslabour pangslabour throestechnical:parturitionarchaic:confinementaccouchementlying-inchildbedtravail
   • 4. a group of moles: rare "a labour of moles toils with the Earth"

   verb

   • 1. work hard; make great effort: "they laboured from dawn to dusk" Similar work (hard)toilslave (away)grub awayplod awaygrind awaysweat awaystrugglestriveexert oneselfoverworkwork one's fingers to the bonework like a Trojan/dog/slavekeep one's nose to the grindstoneinformal:slog awaykill oneselfplug awayput one's back into somethingpeg awaygraftarchaic:drudgetravailmoilOpposite restrelaxlaze
   • ▪ work at an unskilled manual occupation: "he was eking out an existence by labouring"
   • ▪ till (the ground): archaic "the land belonged to him who laboured it"
   • 2. have difficulty in doing something despite working hard: "United laboured against confident opponents" Similar strivestruggleendeavourworktry hardmake every effortdo one's bestdo one's utmostdo all one cangive (it/something) one's allgo all outfightpushbe at painsput oneself outapply oneselfexert oneselfinformal:bend/fall/lean over backwardsgive it one's best shotpull out all the stops
   • ▪ move or proceed with difficulty: "they laboured up a steep, tortuous track"
   • ▪ (of an engine) work noisily and with difficulty: "the wheels churned, the engine labouring"
   • ▪ (of a ship) roll or pitch heavily: "the seas ran high, and the ship laboured hard"
   • 3. (of a woman in childbirth) be in labour: "she laboured very well and comfortably because she was relaxed"

   Word Origin Middle English: from Old French labour (noun), labourer (verb), both from Latin labor ‘toil, trouble’.

   Scrabble Points: 8

   • L

     1

   • A

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   • B

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   • O

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   • U

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2. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishLABOUR | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

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   Learn the meanings and usage of labour in different contexts, such as work, birth, politics, and business. Find out the synonyms, idioms, and collocations of labour with examples from the Cambridge Dictionary.

   • English (US)

     LABOUR meaning: 1. practical work, especially when it...

   • Znaczenie Labour, Definicja W Cambridge English Dictionary

     LABOUR definicja: 1. practical work, especially when it...

   • Labour: Arabic Translation

     LABOUR translate: عَمَل, عُمّال, مَخاض, يَكدَح. Learn more...

   • Labour Laws

     Examples of how to use “labour laws” in a sentence from...

   • Labour of Love

     LABOUR OF LOVE definition: a piece of hard work that you do...

   • Labour The Point

     LABOUR THE POINT definition: to try too hard to express an...

3. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › englishlabour noun - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes...

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › english

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   Definition of labour noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

4. www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › englishLABOUR definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english

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   Learn the meaning, pronunciation, synonyms, and usage of the word 'labour' in British and American English. Find out the difference between 'labour' and 'labor', and see examples of 'labour' in sentences and idioms.

5. www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › laborLabor Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › labor

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   Learn the various meanings and uses of the word labor, from physical or mental effort to workers' activities or political party. See synonyms, examples, etymology, and related phrases of labor.

6. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-englishLABOUR | meaning - Cambridge Learner's Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-english

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   LABOUR definition: 1. work, especially the type of work that needs a lot of physical effort: 2. people who work: 3…. Learn more.

7. www.dictionary.com › browse › labourLABOUR Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

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   noun. productive work, esp physical toil done for wages. the people, class, or workers involved in this, esp in contrast to management, capital, etc. ( as modifier ) a labour dispute. labour relations. difficult or arduous work or effort. ( in combination ) labour-saving. a particular job or task, esp of a difficult nature.

8. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › englishlabour verb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes...

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › english

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   Learn the meaning, pronunciation, usage and synonyms of labour, a verb that means to work hard, to struggle or to move with difficulty. See examples, idioms and phrasal verbs with labour.