labour

Etymology

From Middle English labouren, from Old French laborer, from Latin laborare (“(intransitive) to labor, strive, exert oneself, suffer, be in distress, (transitive) to work out, elaborate”), from labor (“labor, toil, work, exertion”); perhaps remotely akin to robur (“strength”). Displaced native English swink (“toil, labor”).

noun

1. Effort expended on a particular task; toil, work.
2. That which requires hard work for its accomplishment; that which demands effort.
3. (uncountable) Workers in general; the working class, the workforce; sometimes specifically the labour movement, organised labour.
4. (uncountable) A political party or force aiming or claiming to represent the interests of labour.
5. (medicine, obstetrics) The act of a mother giving birth.
6. The time period during which a mother gives birth.
7. (nautical) The pitching or tossing of a vessel which results in the straining of timbers and rigging.
8. (historical) A traditional unit of area in Mexico and Texas, equivalent to 177.1 acres or 71.67 ha.
   the establishment of a new settlement are entitled to five sitios of grazing land, and five labors (equal to 23,025 acres) 1841, William Kennedy, Texas: The Rise, Progress, and Prospects of the Republic of Texas
9. (uncommon, zoology) A group of moles.

verb

1. (intransitive) To toil, to work.
   Standing on the mountain above Caerphilly, one may reflect upon the gap where once stood Llanbradach Viaduct, and look near at hand upon the restored ruins of Caerphilly Castle; man labours to rebuild the mediaeval whilst he ruthlessly scraps the modern. 1939 September, D. S. Barrie, “The Railways of South Wales”, in Railway Magazine, page 165
   "Crab" 2-6-0 No 42802 labours up to Beattock Summit with a northbound freight from Carlisle in August 1960. 1961 May, “Beattock Interlude”, in Trains Illustrated, page 287, photo caption
2. (transitive) To belabour, to emphasise or expand upon (a point in a debate, etc).
   I think we've all got the idea. There's no need to labour the point.
3. To be oppressed with difficulties or disease; to do one's work under conditions which make it especially hard or wearisome; to move slowly, as against opposition, or under a burden.
   the stone that labours up the hill 1726, George Granville, Love
4. To suffer the pangs of childbirth.
5. (nautical) To pitch or roll heavily, as a ship in a turbulent sea.
   the ship laboured so much, and took in so much water in her upper works, that we could neither eat, nor sleep dry 1808, William Gilpin, Memoirs of Josias Rogers, Esq