Main Entry:

¹la·bor

Pronunciation:

\ˈlā-bər\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English, from Anglo-French labur, from Latin labor; perhaps akin to Latin labare to totter, labi to slip — more at sleep

Date:

14th century

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 labor2: an act or process requiring labor : task3: a product of labor4 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 workers5usually Labour : the Labour party of the United Kingdom or of another part of the Commonwealth of Nations

synonyms see work