Definition of Labour

Noun: labour ley-bu(r)
Usage: Brit, Cdn (US: labor)

A social class comprising those who do manual labour or work for wages
"there is a shortage of skilled labour in this field";
- labor [US], working class, proletariat, proletariate [archaic]
Productive work (especially physical work done for wages)
"his labour did not require a great deal of skill";
- labor [US], toil
Concluding state of pregnancy; from the onset of contractions to the birth of a child
"she was in labour for six hours";
- parturiency, labor [US], confinement, lying-in, travail, childbed [archaic]
An organized attempt by workers to improve their status by united action (particularly via labour unions) or the leaders of this movement
- labor movement [US, Austral], trade union movement, labor [US], labour movement [Brit, Cdn]
Any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
"he prepared for great labours";
- undertaking, project, task, labor [US]

Verb: labour ley-bu(r)
Usage: Brit, Cdn (US: labor)

Strive and make an effort to reach a goal
"She laboured for years to make a decent living";
- tug, labor [US], push, drive, sweat
Work hard
"Lexicographers labour all day long";
- labor [US], toil, fag, travail, grind, drudge, dig, moil [N. Amer]
Undergo the efforts of childbirth
- labor [US]

Noun: Labour
Usage: UK

A political party formed in Great Britain in 1900; characterized by the promotion of labour's interests and formerly the socialization of key industries
- British Labour Party, Labour Party [UK], Labor [US]