Question

labour

Accepted Answer

(especially USlabor) noun, verbBrE /ˈleɪbə(r)/NAmE /ˈleɪbər/ noun

work1 [uncountable] work, especially physical workmanual labour (= work using your hands) The price will include the labour and materials. The company wants to keep down labour costs. The workers voted to withdraw their labour (= to stop work as a means of protest). He was sentenced to two years in a labour camp(= a type of prison where people have to do hard physical work).2 [countable, usually plural] (formal) a task or period of workHe was so exhausted from the day's labours that he went straight to bed. People look forward to enjoying the fruits of their labours during retirement. people who work3 [uncountable] the people who work or are available for work in a country or companya shortage of labour Employers are using immigrants as cheap labour. Repairs involve skilled labour, which can be expensive. good labour relations (= the relationship between workers and employers) having baby4 [uncountable, countable, usually singular] the period of time or the process of giving birth to a babyJane was in labour for ten hours. She went into labour early. labour pains Older women tend to have more difficult labours. politics5 Labour [singular + singular or plural verb] (abbr.Lab.) the British Labour PartyHe always votes Labour. Labour was/were in power for many years.a ˌlabour of ˈlovea hard task that you do because you want to, not because it is necessaryWriting the book was a labour of love.verb

verb forms

word origin

example bank

struggle1 [intransitive] to try very hard to do sth difficult~ (away)He was in his study labouring away over some old papers.~ to do sth They laboured for years to clear their son's name. work hard2 [intransitive] to do hard physical workWe laboured all day in the fields. (old-fashioned) the labouring classes (= the working class) move with difficulty3 [intransitive] (+ adv./prep.) to move with difficulty and effort struggleThe horses laboured up the steep slope. With engine labouring, the car struggled up the hill.labour the ˈpointto continue to repeat or explain sth that has already been said and understoodI understand what you're saying—there's no need to labour the point.ˈlabour under sth(formal) to believe sth that is not trueto labour under a misapprehension/delusion, etc. He's still labouring under the impression that he's written a great book.

Labour Work Hard Physical Sth Labouring Laboured Labour (=