labor
pronunciation
How to pronounce labor in British English:
UK [ˈleɪbə]
How to pronounce labor in American English:
US [ˈleɪbər]
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- Noun:
- productive work (especially physical work done for wages)
- a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages
- concluding state of pregnancy; from the onset of labor to the birth of a child
- an organized attempt by workers to improve their status by united action especially via labor unions (especially the leaders of this movement)
- any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
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- Verb:
- strive and make an effort to reach a goal
- work hard
- undergo the efforts of childbirth
Word Origin
- labor (n.)
- c. 1300, "a task, a project;" later "exertion of the body; trouble, difficulty, hardship" (late 14c.), from Old French labor "labor, toil, work, exertion, task" (12c., Modern French labeur), from Latin laborem (nominative labor) "labor, toil, exertion; hardship, pain, fatigue; a work, a product of labor," of uncertain origin, perhaps originally from the notion of "tottering under a burden," and related to labere "to totter." Meaning "body of laborers considered as a class" (usually contrasted to capitalists) is from 1839. Sense of "physical exertions of childbirth" is 1590s, earlier labour of birthe (early 15c.), a sense also found in Old French, and compare French en travail "in (childbirth) suffering" (see travail). Labor Day first marked 1882 in New York City.
- labor (v.)
- late 14c., "perform manual or physical work; work hard; keep busy; take pains, strive, endeavor" (also "copulate"), from Old French laborer "work, toil; struggle, have difficulty," from Latin laborare, from labor (see labor (n.)). The verb in modern French, Spanish, Portuguese means "to plow;" the wider sense being taken by the equivalent of English travail. Sense of "to endure pain, suffer" is early 15c., especially in phrase labor of child. Related: Labored; laboring.
Synonym
Example
- 1. The labor department has eliminated more than 100 conferences .
- 2. Not all is rosy in the german labor market .
- 3. Other labor plans may cause tensions with its new allies .
- 4. Labor there is almost free .
- 5. By late afternoon she had gone into labor .