Labour

/ˈleɪ.bər/

Meaning & Definition

noun

Physical or mental work, especially of a hard or tiring kind.

The labour involved in building the house was considerable.

Work for which someone is paid.

The factory relies on the labour of skilled workers.

The process of childbirth.

After several hours of labour, she gave birth to a healthy baby.

verb

To work hard or to exert effort.

They laboured day and night to complete the project on time.

To perform duties or tasks.

She laboured over the details of the report to ensure accuracy.

From Old French 'labor', from Latin 'labor' meaning 'work, toil, effort'.

labour of love

Work done for pleasure rather than for material reward.

labour market

The supply of available workers in relation to available work.

labour pains

The contractions and discomfort experienced during childbirth.

laborer

A person who does unskilled manual work.

labour rights

The legal rights of workers to fair treatment.

labour union

An organization of workers formed to protect their rights and interests.

To work hard or exert effort.

He really laboured over that project to get it done in time.

To be in the process of childbirth.

She was labouring at the hospital for several hours.