Showing Results for "labour"

See Also:

• a variation of labor.

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

Derived Forms

• antilabour
  adjective
• labouringly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of labour

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

Example Sentences

The US government's stance is that trading with countries which buy things made with forced labour is unfair on the US.

From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026

"Those costs, which are usually fixed or committed well in advance, have risen sharply in the past few years, from labour, fuel, power and transport through to security, production, infrastructure and materials," the firm says.

From BBC • May 30, 2026

He described the situation as the "perfect storm" for young people, warning that becoming detached from the labour market can have a "scarring impact", with the lifetime loss approaching £300,000 for each young person.

From BBC • May 29, 2026

Asia's huge chip sector "is more dominated by labour unions", Neil Shah, co-founder of Counterpoint Research, told AFP.

From Barron's • May 28, 2026

Mr Sawston down Mantapike owe us some good labour, you Send Tom down to Mantapike and he shoud say Im calling in the dett, & its time Sawston mend the chimny.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson