WordGarden.iolabor
A2Pronunciation
UK
- /lˈeɪbə/
US
- /ˈleɪbər/
Meanings
Noun
work, especially hard physical or practical work
workers considered as a group, especially in union or labor-relations contexts
the process or state of childbirth, especially before delivery
Verb
to work hard or toil at something
to struggle to do something or to move or proceed with difficulty
Beyond the definition
Labor is not only about having a baby. It can mean physical or mental effort used to get something done. You can see it in the work of building a house, with hours of hammering, sawing, and lifting. It can also describe the effort needed to write a book, solve a hard problem, or learn a new skill. The word also has a specific meaning in childbirth: when someone is "in labor," they are in the process of giving birth. It is a strong word that connects effort, work, and the act of bringing something new into the world.
The word "labor" carries a surprising amount of weight—both literally and figuratively! At its core, labor refers to sustained physical or mental effort undertaken to achieve a particular purpose. This could be the manual labor of a construction worker, the skilled labor of an artisan crafting furniture, or even the emotional labor required to maintain relationships. It's about applying yourself diligently to a task.
Historically, "labor" has been deeply connected to childbirth, and that meaning remains strong today. When someone is "in labor," it refers to the process of giving birth—a physically demanding and transformative experience. This connection likely stems from the idea of working to bring forth new life.
Beyond these core meanings, "labor" can also refer to a body of workers—as in "the labor force." It's used in economic contexts to describe those who contribute their skills and effort for wages or salaries. You might hear about "labor unions" advocating for the rights of workers.
Finally, "labor" can even be used figuratively to describe something difficult or arduous: "It was a labor of love," meaning it required significant effort but was ultimately rewarding. It can also describe the act of struggling, such as "laboring" under a heavy burden or "labored" breathing.
So, whether you're talking about building something tangible, bringing new life into the world, contributing to the economy, or tackling a challenging task, "labor" speaks to the power of human effort and dedication.
Examples
- 1
Physical work
The repair took hours of hard labor in the hot sun.
- 2
Manual work
After college, he took a job that involved heavy manual labor.
- 3
Business costs
The company moved some production abroad to cut labor costs.
- 4
Job market
A tight labor market makes it harder for restaurants to hire staff.
- Phraselabor market
the situation around jobs and workers
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Unions
The new law was opposed by organized labor.
- Phraseorganized labor
labor unions and the workers they represent
- 6
Childbirth
She went into labor just after midnight.
- Phrasego into labor
begin the process of giving birth
- 7
Careful work
We should not labor over every small detail before we know the plan will work.
- Patternlabor over + task/detail
spend a lot of time and effort on it
- 8
Mistaken belief
He was laboring under the belief that the meeting started at ten.
- Patternlabor under the belief/impression that
believe something that is probably wrong
- 9
Personal devotion
Restoring the old theater was a labor of love for the whole town.
- Phrasea labor of love
hard work done because you care about it
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- labornounverb
Forms
- laboredpast tenseverbnoun
- laborspluralnounverb
- laboring-ing formverbnoun