labor

I. 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 labor 2. an act or process requiring labor ; task 3. a product of labor 4. 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 workers 5. (usually Labour) the Labour party of the United Kingdom or of another part of the Commonwealth of Nations Synonyms: see work II. verb (labored; laboring) Date: 14th century intransitive verb 1. to exert one's powers of body or mind especially with painful or strenuous effort ; work 2. to move with great effort <

the truck labored up the hill

> 3. to be in the labor of giving birth 4. to suffer from some disadvantage or distress <

labor under a delusion

> 5. of a ship to pitch or roll heavily transitive verb 1. archaic a. to spend labor on or produce by labor b. to strive to effect or achieve 2. to treat or work out in often laborious detail <

labor the obvious

> 3. distress, burden 4. to cause to labor III. adjective Date: 1640 1. of or relating to labor 2. capitalized of, relating to, or constituting a political party held to represent the interests of workers or made up largely of organized labor groups