(~s, ~ing, ~ed)
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
Note: in AM, use 'labor'
1.
Labour is very hard work, usually physical work.
...the ~ of seeding, planting and harvesting...
The chef at the barbecue looked up from his ~s; he was sweating.
N-UNCOUNT: also N in pl, oft supp N
see also hard ~
2.
Someone who ~s works hard using their hands.
...peasants ~ing in the fields...
Her husband ~ed at the plant for 17 years.
VERB: V, V
3.
If you ~ to do something, you do it with difficulty.
For twenty-five years now he has ~ed to build a religious community.
...a young man who’s ~ing under all kinds of other difficulties.
= struggle
VERB: V to-inf, V under n
4.
Labour is used to refer to the workers of a country or industry, considered as a group.
Latin America lacked skilled ~...
They were cheap ~.
N-UNCOUNT: oft supp N
5.
The work done by a group of workers or by a particular worker is referred to as their ~.
The unemployed cannot withdraw their ~–they have no power.
N-UNCOUNT: oft poss N
6.
In Britain, people use Labour to refer to the Labour Party .
They all vote Labour.
N-PROPER-COLL
7.
A Labour politician or voter is a member of a Labour Party or votes for a Labour Party.
...a Labour MP...
Millions of Labour voters went unrepresented.
ADJ
8.
If you ~ under a delusion or misapprehension, you continue to believe something which is not true.
She ~ed under the illusion that I knew what I was doing...
You seem to be ~ing under considerable misapprehensions.
VERB: V under n, V under n
9.
If you ~ a point or an argument, you keep making the same point or saying the same thing, although it is unnecessary.
I don’t want to ~ the point but there it is.
VERB: V n
10.
Labour is the last stage of pregnancy, in which the baby is gradually pushed out of the womb by the mother.
I thought the pains meant I was going into ~.
N-UNCOUNT