labour
a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages
How often you will meet it
Rank 2,585 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 6,495 times across 175,160 chapters — 0.003% of every word in the library.
What it means
noun
- a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages also: labor, working class, proletariat there is a shortage of skilled labor in this field
- concluding state of pregnancy; from the onset of contractions to the birth of a child also: parturiency, labor, confinement, lying-in, travail, childbed she was in labor for six hours
- a political party formed in Great Britain in 1900; characterized by the promotion of labor's interests and formerly the socialization of key industries also: British Labour Party, Labour Party, Labor
- productive work (especially physical work done for wages) also: labor, toil his labor did not require a great deal of skill
verb
- work hard also: labor, toil, fag, travail, grind, drudge She was digging away at her math homeworkLexicographers drudge all day long
- strive and make an effort to reach a goal also: tug, labor, push, drive She tugged for years to make a decent livingWe have to push a little to make the deadline!
- undergo the efforts of childbirth also: labor
labour in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
-
But I need not labour the point.
Notes on Life & Letters · Joseph Conrad · Chapter 1
-
A strong prejudice against manual labour was shaping itself in his mind.
The Soul of a Child · Edwin Björkman · Chapter 1
-
Since then “Annie Laurie” has become the song of the Labour party.
Poems Every Child Should Know · Mary E. (Mary Elizabeth) [Editor] Burt · Chapter 1
-
If a single word comes out of your mouth, all your labour is vain.’
The Yellow Fairy Book: The Grateful Beasts · World Traditions (Celtic, Norse, Asian & Persian) · Chapter 1
-
The rich would have spoken on the value of thrift, and the idle grown eloquent over the dignity of labour.
The Picture of Dorian Gray · Oscar Wilde · Chapter 1