labour

American  

[ley-ber] / ˈleɪ bər /

noun

Chiefly British.

1. labor.

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labour British  

/ ˈleɪbə /

noun

1. productive work, esp physical toil done for wages

2. 1. the people, class, or workers involved in this, esp in contrast to management, capital, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      a labour dispute

      labour relations

3. 1. difficult or arduous work or effort

   2. ( in combination )

      labour-saving

4. a particular job or task, esp of a difficult nature

5. 1. the process or effort of childbirth or the time during which this takes place

   2. ( as modifier )

      labour pains

6. something done for pleasure rather than gain

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verb

1. (intr) to perform labour; work

2. (intr; foll by for, etc) to strive or work hard (for something)

3. to be burdened (by) or be at a disadvantage (because of)

   to labour under a misapprehension

4. (intr) to make one's way with difficulty

5. (tr) to deal with or treat too persistently

   to labour a point

6. (intr) (of a woman) to be in labour

7. (intr) (of a ship) to pitch and toss

Spelling

See -or ¹.

Other Word Forms

• antilabour adjective
• labouringly adverb

Etymology

Origin of labour

C13: via Old French from Latin labor; perhaps related to lābī to fall

Example Sentences

Under the original scheme, the federal government paid all labour wages and most material costs - roughly a 90:10 split with the states.

From BBC

But hospital staff, pharmacists and anaesthetists - who administer epidurals to women during labour - have expressed concerns over the plans.

From BBC

While this is a labour intensive part of the Tunnock's operation, most of the rest of the factory is automated.

From BBC

It's a sharp change from 2022, when the population grew by more than a million people for the first time, fuelled in part by efforts to recruit immigrants to ease labour shortages.

From BBC

Instead, the EU executive hopes to tackle labour shortages through large-scale apprenticeship programmes and ease some environmental rules to speed up building permits.

From Barron's