Labour

adjective

UK /ˈleɪbə(r)/

1
relating to or supporting the British Labour Party
the Labour government
a policy that is likely to worry many Labour voters
Synonyms and related words
Left-wing politics and Leftism
the ALP
the ANC
Bolshevik

Labour

adjective

US /ˈleɪbər/

1
relating to or supporting the British Labour Party
Synonyms and related words
Left-wing politics and leftism
the ANC
bolshevik
commie

labour

noun

UK /ˈleɪbə(r)/

Word Forms

singular	labour
plural	labours

1
uncountable economicsthe workers in a particular country, industry, or company considered as a group
the declining demand for labour in agriculture
a plentiful supply of cheap labour
skilled/unskilled labour:
The demand for skilled labour in the building industry is high.
casual labour (=people who are not employed regularly):
Hotel managers need skilled staff and can’t afford to rely on casual labour.
Synonyms and related words
Workers considered as a group
staff
profession
people
1. 1a
  the organizations to which workers belong, or their leaders, considered as a group
  a meeting between management and labour
  organized labour:
  In the 1960s the strength of organized labour was becoming more apparent.
  Synonyms and related words
  Labour organizations and their members
  the ABA
  ACTU
  the AFL-CIO
2. 1b
  only before nounrelating to or involving workers
  a labour dispute
  The company is passing its higher labour costs on to its customers.
  Synonyms and related words
  Workers considered as a group
  staff
  profession
  people
2
uncountable work
the traditional division of labour between men and women in the home
The price quoted includes the cost of all labour and materials.
Synonyms and related words
General words relating to jobs and work
a good/smart/clever career move
appointment
background
1. 2a
  
  labour
  or
  labours
  formal
  work, especially hard physical work
  In return for his labours, he receives food and shelter.
  Synonyms and related words
  Hard work and effort
  heavy lifting
  ask
  work
See alsohard labour
See alsolabourer
See alsolabour of love
3
singular/uncountable the process by which a baby is pushed from its mother’s body when she is giving birth to it
drugs to ensure pain-free labour and delivery
go into labour:
She went into labour early this morning.
be in labour:
His wife was in labour for six hours.
Synonyms and related words
Pregnancy and having a baby
abort
the afterbirth
amniocentesis
1. 3a
  only before nounrelating to a woman’s labour when she is giving birth to a baby
  labour pains
  a labour ward
  Synonyms and related words
  Pregnancy and having a baby
  abort
  the afterbirth
  amniocentesis

phrases

fruit(s) of your labour

Labour

noun uncountable

UK /ˈleɪbə(r)/

1
the British Labour Party: can be followed by a singular or plural verb
She always votes Labour.
Synonyms and related words
Left-wing politics and Leftism
the ALP
the ANC
Bolshevik

labour

US /ˈleɪbər/

1
the British spelling of labor
Synonyms and related words
Hard work and effort
heavy lifting
ask
work
Synonyms and related words
General words relating to jobs and work
a good/smart/clever career move
appointment
background

View the pronunciation for labour.

Labour

noun uncountable

US /ˈleɪbər/

1
the British Labour Party
Synonyms and related words
Left-wing politics and leftism
the ANC
bolshevik
commie

labour

verb intransitive

UK /ˈleɪbə(r)/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	labour
he/she/it	labours
present participle	labouring
past tense	laboured
past participle	laboured

1
formalto work hard, especially physically
Five generations of his family have laboured as fishermen.
Synonyms and related words
To work hard
work at
forge
overwork
1. 1a
  to put a lot of effort into achieving something
  labour over something:
  At midnight she was still labouring over the accounts.
  labour to do something:
  He laboured to make them understand his French.
  Synonyms and related words
  To try hard to do or get something
  work
  strive
  try
2
to move very slowly and with difficulty
He laboured up the stairs with his bag of groceries.
Synonyms and related words
To move, or to move something, slowly
crawl
dawdle
creep

phrases

labour the point

phrasal verbs

labour under

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