labor

The definition of labor is physical or mental work or effort.

(noun)

To labor is defined as to work hard.

(verb)

An example of to labor is to carry a heavy load up a hill.

See labor in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

physical or mental exertion; work; toil
a specific task; piece of work
1. all wage-earning workers as a group
2. all manual workers whose work is characterized largely by physical exertion
labor unions collectively
the work accomplished by or the role in production of all workers, esp. workers for wages
Labor Party
Med. the process or period of childbirth; parturition; esp., the muscular contractions of giving birth

Origin: OFr < L, labor, orig., hardship, pain, prob. < base of labi, to slip, totter: see lap

intransitive verb

to work; toil
to work hard; exert oneself to get or do something; strive
1. to move slowly and with difficulty: the car labored up the hill
2. to pitch and roll heavily: the ship labored in the rough sea
to be afflicted or burdened with a liability or limitation (with under): to labor under a delusion
to undergo, and suffer the pains of, childbirth

Origin: ME laboren < OFr laborer < L laborare < the n.

transitive verb

to spend too much time and effort on; develop in too great detail: to labor a point

Origin: earlier elabour < Fr élaborer: see elaborate

See labor in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

a. Physical or mental exertion, especially when difficult or exhausting; work. See Synonyms at work.
b. Something produced by work.
A specific task.
A particular form of work or method of working: manual labor.
Work for wages.
a. Workers considered as a group.
b. The trade union movement, especially its officials.
Labor A political party representing workers' interests, especially in Great Britain.
The process by which childbirth occurs, beginning with contractions of the uterus and ending with the expulsion of the fetus or infant and the placenta.

verb la·bored, la·bor·ing, la·bors

verb, intransitive

To work; toil: labored in the fields.
To strive painstakingly: labored over the needlepoint.
a. To proceed with great effort; plod: labored up the hill.
b. Nautical To pitch and roll.
To suffer from distress or a disadvantage: labored under the misconception that others were cooperating.
To undergo the efforts of childbirth.

verb, transitive

To deal with in exhaustive or excessive detail; belabor: labor a point in the argument.
To distress; burden: I will not labor you with trivial matters.

adjective