labor labor /ˈleɪbɝ/

noun

1. () [American] Productive work (especially physical work done for wages)  ( labour [Canadian, British] , toil , labor [American] )
   productive work (especially physical work done for wages)
    His labor did not require a great deal of skill
   his labor did not require a great deal of skill
   
   
2. () [American] A social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages  ( working class , proletariate [Archaic] , labour [Canadian, British] , labor [American] , proletariat )
   a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages
    There is a shortage of skilled labor in this field
   there is a shortage of skilled labor in this field
   
   
3. [American] Any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted  ( labor [American] , undertaking , task , project )
   any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
    He prepared for great undertakings
   he prepared for great undertakings
   
4. [American] An organized attempt by workers to improve their status by united action (particularly via labor unions) or the leaders of this movement  ( labor [American] , trade union movement , labour movement [Canadian, British] , labor movement [American, Australian] )
   an organized attempt by workers to improve their status by united action (particularly via labor unions) or the leaders of this movement
   
5. [American] Concluding state of pregnancy; from the onset of contractions to the birth of a child  ( childbed [Archaic] , labor [American] , labour , confinement , lying-in , parturiency , travail )
   concluding state of pregnancy; from the onset of contractions to the birth of a child
    She was in labor for six hours
   she was in labor for six hours
   

verb

1. () [American] Strive and make an effort to reach a goal  ( labour [Canadian, British] , tug , plow on [American] , drive , labor [American] , push )
   strive and make an effort to reach a goal
    She tugged for years to make a decent living
   She tugged for years to make a decent living
    We have to push a little to make the deadline!
   We have to push a little to make the deadline!
    She is driving away at her doctoral thesis
   She is driving away at her doctoral thesis
   
2. () [American] Work hard  ( dig [Informal, American] , drudge , fag [Informal] , grind [Informal] , labor [American] , labour [Canadian, British] , moil [ N. American] , toil , travail )
   work hard
    She was digging away at her math homework
   She was digging away at her math homework
    Lexicographers drudge all day long
   Lexicographers drudge all day long
   
3. [American] Undergo the efforts of childbirth  ( labor [American] , labour [Canadian, British] )
   undergo the efforts of childbirth
   

 Labor

noun

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