- a variation of labor.
labour
Americannoun
noun
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productive work, esp physical toil done for wages
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the people, class, or workers involved in this, esp in contrast to management, capital, etc
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( as modifier )
a labour dispute
labour relations
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difficult or arduous work or effort
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( in combination )
labour-saving
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a particular job or task, esp of a difficult nature
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the process or effort of childbirth or the time during which this takes place
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( as modifier )
labour pains
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something done for pleasure rather than gain
verb
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(intr) to perform labour; work
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(intr; foll by for, etc) to strive or work hard (for something)
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to be burdened (by) or be at a disadvantage (because of)
to labour under a misapprehension
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(intr) to make one's way with difficulty
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(tr) to deal with or treat too persistently
to labour a point
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(intr) (of a woman) to be in labour
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(intr) (of a ship) to pitch and toss
Spelling
See -or 1.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of labour
C13: via Old French from Latin labor; perhaps related to lābī to fall
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In 2024, a stillborn baby "remained in fridge for four days on the labour ward" and the failure to transfer her to the mortuary was only identified four days later.
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026
About 800,000 Kenyans join the labour market each year, according to the World Bank.
From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026
China holds the largest market share in UK's RMG imports; however, it has continued to lose market share due to declining competitiveness and higher labour costs.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
Goonism is driven by desperation in an economy where some 800,000 enter the labour market each year for just 100,000 jobs in the formal sector, according to the World Bank.
From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026
To rebuild the windmill, with walls twice as thick as before, and to finish it by the appointed date, together with the regular work of the farm, was a tremendous labour.
From "Animal Farm: A Fairy Story" by George Orwell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
