Definition of labour - Reverso English Dictionary
Noun
1.
childbirthUK process of childbirthUK
- She was in labour for several hours..
2.
hard activityUK physical or mental effort to achieve somethingUK
- The construction project required intense labour..
3.
employee poolUK workers considered as a groupUK
- Labour is essential for the factory's operation.
4.
politicsRare UK political party representing workers' interestsRare UK
- The Labour Party won the election.
Verb
1.
effortUK work hard, especially physicallyUK
- They labour in the fields all day.
2.
medicalUK experience childbirthUK
- She began to labour in the early morning.
3.
ship movementRare UK move with difficulty, like a shipRare UK
- The ship laboured in the stormy sea.
Expressions with labour
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work done under poor conditions for low pay
Many factories in the area rely on sweat labour.
struggle because of a problem or false belief
He labours under the impression that I am angry.
workers replacing strikers during a labor dispute
The company hired scab labour to break the strike.
start having contractions before giving birth
She went into labour early in the morning.
repeat or explain a point more than needed
He tends to labour the point in every meeting.
discuss a topic excessively
She will labour the issue until everyone is tired of hearing about it.
results gained from hard work or effort
The promotion was the fruit of her labour.
results gained from hard work or effort
The promotion was the fruit of her labour.
benefits gained from effort
The fruits of his labour were evident in the successful project.
task done for pleasure not reward
He restored the old car as a labour of love..
explain something in too much detail
He tends to labour a point during meetings.
work while believing something false
She labours under the illusion that he will change.
believe something that is not true
He laboured under a delusion that he was invincible.
believe something false and act on it
She labours under the delusion that he loves her.
work done without payment
Volunteers provided free labour for the community project.
physically demanding work not as punishment
Farming can be considered hard labour.
workers whose employment costs employers very little money in wages
Many clothing brands depend on cheap labour in overseas factories.
experiencing childbirth contractions and processes
The nurse said she was in labour.
conflict between workers and employer about pay, hours or conditions
The factory closed temporarily because of a major labour dispute.
head of a labor union or organization
The labour leader negotiated better wages for the workers..
pain felt by a woman during childbirth
She experienced intense labour pain before the delivery.
reducing effort needed to complete a task
The labour-saving machine increased productivity in the factory.
hard work done by hand without using machines
Manual labour is needed to build the stone wall.
workers with special training education or experience needed to do certain jobs
The company hired more skilled labour to handle the complex repairs.
Origin of labour
Latin, labor (work) + -or (agent)
Terms with labour included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
rights
freedom from imprisonment or forced labour
work
vigorous physical labour like scrubbing
acr: International Labour Organization
organization that promotes fair work conditions
Marxism
means of labour and labour power in Marxism
UK politics
female Labour MPs elected in 1997 UK election
acr: Barbados Labour Party
political group in Barbados
acr: Constituency Labour Party
local group of Labour Party members
acr: Labour Force Survey
survey to find out about jobs and employment
british politics
agreement between Liberal and Labour parties for political cooperation
acr: Labour Relations Commission
body that helps resolve work disputes
acr: Labour Representation Committee
group for workers' political representation
political group
Trotskyist group within the Labour Party
acr: Maritime Labour Convention
international rules for seafarers' working and living conditions
acr: Progressive Labour Federation
group that supports workers' rights and fair treatment
acr: Russian Social Democratic Labour Party
group that works for political change
acr: Social Democratic and Labour Party
political party in Northern Ireland
abr: Saint Lucia Labour Party
political group in Saint Lucia supporting workers' rights
politics
short form for the Labour Party in UK politics
historical figure
British statesman who led Labour Governments
politics
British Labour prime minister from 1976 to 1979
labour
collective group of workers in unions
punishment
penal colony involving forced labour
politics
government minister who belongs to a political party called Labour
output
proportion of total output attributed to labour
Examples of labour in a sentence
He was present during the entire labour. The artist's labour was evident in every brushstroke. Years of labour went into building the monument. The company is seeking skilled labour for the new project. Labour unions are negotiating better terms for workers. Labour proposed new policies for workers' rights.
The debate focused on Labour's economic strategies. The workers labour tirelessly to complete the project. She labours over her garden every weekend. She laboured for hours before the baby arrived. Many women labour in different ways. The vessel laboured against the strong current. Fishing boats laboured through the thick fog.
View all translations of labour
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:travail, peiner, ...
- German:Wehen, arbeiten, ...
- Italian:parto, lavorare, ...
- Spanish:parto, trabajar, ...
- Portuguese:parto, labutar, ...
- Chinese:分娩, 劳作, ...
- Japanese:陣痛, 働く, ...
- Arabic:مخاض, شَقِي, ...
- Hebrew:לֵידָה, לַעֲבוֹד, ...
- Russian:роды, трудиться, ...
- Ukrainian:пологи, працювати, ...
- Hindi:प्रसव, मेहनत करना, ...
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