n.
- work, especially hard physical work.
- workers, especially manual workers, collectively.
-
(Labour)
[treated as sing. or pl.]
the Labour Party.
- the process of childbirth from the start of uterine contractions to delivery.
v.
- work hard.
▸work at an unskilled manual job.
▸archaic till (the ground).
- have difficulty despite working hard.
▸move with difficulty.
▸(of an engine) work noisily and with difficulty.
▸(of a ship) roll or pitch heavily.
-
(labour under)
be misled by (a mistaken belief).
Phrase
- a labour of love
a task done for pleasure, not reward. - labour the point
explain or discuss something at excessive length.
Etymology
ME: from OFr. labour (n.), labourer (v.), both from L. labor ‘toil, trouble’.
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