labor
1la·bor
noun \ˈlā-bər\Definition of LABOR
1
a : expenditure of physical or mental effort especially when difficult or compulsory b (1) : human activity that provides the goods or services in an economy (2) : the services performed by workers for wages as distinguished from those rendered by entrepreneurs for profits c : the physical activities (as dilation of the cervix and contraction of the uterus) involved in giving birth; also : the period of such labor
2
: an act or process requiring labor : task
3
: a product of labor
4
a : an economic group comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages b (1) : workers employed in an establishment (2) : workers available for employment c : the organizations or officials representing groups of workers
5
usually Labour : the Labour party of the United Kingdom or of another part of the Commonwealth of Nations
See Examples of LABOR
- A day's labor should get the job done.
- Getting the job done will require many hours of difficult labor.
- He rested from his labors.
- The cost of repairing the car includes parts and labor.
- an area in which there is a shortage of cheap labor
- The proposed new law is opposed by organized labor.
- She went into labor this morning.
- She has been in labor for several hours.
- She began to have labor pains this morning.
- She had a difficult labor.
Origin of LABOR
Middle English, from Anglo-French labur, from Latin labor; perhaps akin to Latin labare to totter, labi to slip — more at sleep
First Known Use: 14th century
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