Definition of Labor

Noun: labor ley-bur
Usage: US (elsewhere: labour)

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

Verb: labor ley-bur
Usage: US (elsewhere: labour)

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

Noun: Labor ley-bur
Usage: US

A political party formed in Great Britain in 1900; characterized by the promotion of labor's interests and formerly the socialization of key industries
- British Labour Party, Labour Party [UK], Labour [UK]
The federal department responsible for promoting the working conditions of wage earners in the United States; created in 1913
- Department of Labor, Labor Department, DoL