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

Zender also thinks the murals could better reflect the role of farmworkers from the Philippines and other countries in the labour movement.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

The ITF says such low salaries indicate that the shipowners do not have labour agreements in place to ensure decent pay.

From Barron's • Mar. 29, 2026

"Only 12 million come into the workforce every year. So there's a huge labour surplus."

From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026

The fresh concerns over inflation come as Britain's economy has stagnated and its labour market remains weak.

From Barron's • Mar. 19, 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