Refine this word faster
Labour
Definitions
- 1 Short for the Labour Party. New-Zealand, UK, abbreviation, alt-of
- 2 Misspelling of Labor, an Australian political party. Australia, alt-of, misspelling
- 1 An effort expended on a particular task; toil, work. countable, uncountable
"[…]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[…]"
- 2 productive work (especially physical work done for wages) wordnet
- 3 That which requires hard work for its accomplishment; that which demands effort. countable, uncountable
"Being a labour of so great difficulty, the exact performance thereof we may rather wish than look for."
- 4 any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted wordnet
- 5 Workers in general; the working class, the workforce; sometimes specifically the labour movement, organised labour. uncountable
"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."
Show 10 more definitions
- 6 a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages wordnet
- 7 A political party or force aiming or claiming to represent the interests of labour. uncountable
- 8 a political party formed in Great Britain in 1900; characterized by the promotion of labor's interests and formerly the socialization of key industries wordnet
- 9 The act or process of a mother giving birth. countable, uncountable
"Near-synonyms: childbirth, parturition"
- 10 an organized attempt by workers to improve their status by united action (particularly via labor unions) or the leaders of this movement wordnet
- 11 The time period during which a mother gives birth. countable, uncountable
- 12 concluding state of pregnancy; from the onset of contractions to the birth of a child wordnet
- 13 The pitching or tossing of a vessel which results in the straining of timbers and rigging. countable, uncountable
- 14 A traditional unit of area in Mexico and Texas, equivalent to 177.1 acres or 71.67 ha. countable, historical, uncountable
"the establishment of a new settlement are entitled to five sitios of grazing land, and five labors (equal to 23,025 acres)"
- 15 A group of moles. countable, uncommon, uncountable
- 1 To toil, to work. intransitive
"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."
- 2 undergo the efforts of childbirth wordnet
- 3 To belabour, to emphasise or expand upon (a point in a debate, etc). transitive
"I think we've all got the idea. There's no need to labour the point."
- 4 strive and make an effort to reach a goal wordnet
- 5 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"
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 work hard wordnet
- 7 To suffer the pangs of childbirth.
- 8 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"
Etymology
From Middle English labor, labour, labur, from Old French labor (modern labeur) and its etymon, Latin labor.
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”).
See also for "labour"
Next best steps
Mini challenge
Unscramble this word: labour