labor
gb/lˈeɪbɚ/ us/lˈeɪbɚ/
B1
English
~ 2200
munka, fizikai munka, vajúdás, szülés, munkaerő, munkásság, keményen dolgozik, fáradozik, küszködik, nehezen halad
NOUN
B1
1
munka
A1
Usage pattern:
[someone] does labor
The construction of the building required months of manual labor.
Az épület megépítése hónapokig tartó kétkezi munkát igényelt.
Farming is hard labor that takes strength and patience.
A gazdálkodás kemény munka, amelyhez erő és türelem kell.
The company reduced costs by outsourcing some of its labor.
Learner examples
I do hard labor in the garden.
Kemény fizikai munkát végzek a kertben.
He found the labor too heavy.
Túl nehéznek találta a munkát.
The labor took all day.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'labor' with 'laboratory' because of similar spelling.
Meaning
Work, especially hard work
Collocations
manual labor
|hard labor
|skilled labor
|labor force
|labor market
Synonyms
work (More general term; can refer to any activity done to achieve a purpose, not necessarily hard effort.)
|
toil (Emphasizes hard, tiring, and continuous work.)
Antonyms
rest (Represents the absence of work or effort.)
Themes
work
|economy
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Work that needs a lot of physical or mental effort.
Physical or mental effort, especially when done for a job or task.
NOUN
B1
2
Usage pattern:
[someone] is in labor
She went into labor two weeks early.
The doctor monitored her closely during labor.
Labor can last for many hours.
Learner examples
She is in labor now.
My sister went into labor yesterday.
Labor can be very painful.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'labor' meaning childbirth with 'labor' meaning work; context is important.
Meaning
Process of childbirth
Collocations
go into labor
|be in labor
|labor pains
|prolonged labor
Synonyms
childbirth (More general term for the act of giving birth; 'labor' emphasizes the process before and during delivery.)
Antonyms
pregnancy (The period before labor begins.)
Themes
health
|family
|body
Definition
The process when a woman gives birth to a baby.
The process in which a woman gives birth to a baby, including the contractions and delivery.
NOUN
B2
3
Usage pattern:
the labor [group/type]
The factory depends on cheap labor from overseas.
A gyár a külföldről érkező olcsó munkaerőre támaszkodik.
Organized labor protested against the new policy.
A szervezett munkásság tiltakozott az új intézkedés ellen.
Labor unions negotiated better wages.
Learner examples
Labor in this city is expensive.
Ebben a városban drága a munkaerő.
The country needs more skilled labor.
Az országnak több szakképzett munkaerőre van szüksége.
Labor is asking for higher pay.
Meaning
Workers considered as a group
Collocations
organized labor
|cheap labor
|unionized labor
|labor unions
Synonyms
workforce (Refers to all employees; 'labor' often implies manual or industrial workers.)
Antonyms
management (Refers to those who run or control a business, as opposed to the workers.)
Themes
work
|economy
|business
Definition
All the workers in a place or country, especially those who do physical work.
People who work, especially those doing physical work for wages, considered collectively.
VERB
B2
4
fáradozik
B2
Usage pattern:
to labor [on/over] [something]
She labored over the report until midnight.
Éjfélig keményen dolgozott a jelentésen.
Workers labored in the hot sun.
A munkások a tűző napon dolgoztak keményen.
They labored for years to complete the project.
Learner examples
I labored on my homework all night.
Egész éjjel keményen dolgoztam a házi feladatomon.
He labored in the field all day.
Egész nap keményen dolgozott a földeken.
We labored over the plan for weeks.
Meaning
To work hard for a long time
Collocations
labor over details
|labor for hours
|labor day and night
Synonyms
toil (Emphasizes exhausting and continuous work.)
Antonyms
rest (To stop working and recover energy.)
Themes
work
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To work very hard for a long time.
To make a great physical or mental effort over a period of time.
VERB
B2
5
küszködik
B2
Usage pattern:
to labor [through/under] [something]
He labored up the steep hill.
Nehezen kapaszkodott fel a meredek dombra.
They labored through the complicated instructions.
Nagy nehezen végigküzdötték magukat a bonyolult útmutatón.
She labored under the weight of expectation.
Learner examples
I labored up the stairs.
Nehezen küzdöttem fel magam a lépcsőn.
We labored through the long test.
Nagy nehezen végigküzdöttük a hosszú dolgozatot.
He labored under heavy boxes.
Meaning
To move or progress with great effort
Collocations
labor through a task
|labor under a misconception
Synonyms
struggle (Implies difficulty but not always physical effort.)
Antonyms
glide (To move easily without effort.)
Themes
movement
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To move or do something slowly and with hard effort.
To move, progress, or perform something with great difficulty and effort.
Grammar
Dictionary form
labor
IPA
GB/lˈeɪbɚ/
US/lˈeɪbɚ/
Syllables & stress
labor (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (labor)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: labor
- Variant Spelling: labour
- Plural: labor, labors
Verb
- Base: labor
- Variant Spelling: labour
- 3rd Person Singular: labors
- Present Participle: laboring
- Past: labored
Word family
Forms
Core family
laborer
noun B1
Related words
laborious
adjective B2
laboriously
adverb
Advanced or less common
unlabored
adjective
Highlights
- Spelling Variant: labour Verb
- Spelling Variant: labour Noun
Expressions
go into labor
1/ɡˈoʊ ˈɪntu lˈeɪbɚ/
fixed phrase
Start giving birth to a baby
When a woman starts having her baby.
Examples
- She went into labor at midnight.
- The nurse said she might go into labor soon.
hard labor
1/hˈɑɹd lˈeɪbɚ/
fixed phrase
Physically demanding work as punishment or job
Very hard physical work, sometimes given as punishment in prison.
Examples
- The prisoners were sentenced to five years of hard labor.
- Farming in that climate is hard labor.
organized labor
1/ˈɔɹɡənˌaɪzd lˈeɪbɚ/
fixed phrase
Unionized workers acting together for rights and benefits
Workers who join together in groups called unions to get better pay and working conditions.
Examples
- Organized labor fought for an eight-hour workday.
- The bill was opposed by organized labor.
labor of love
1/lˈeɪbɚ əv lˈʌv/
idiom
Work done out of passion not money
Work you do because you enjoy it, not because you get paid well.
Examples
- Restoring the old house was a labor of love for them.
- Writing the book was truly a labor of love.
labor of love
2/lˈeɪbɚ əv lˈʌv/
idiom
Work done for enjoyment, not pay
Work you do because you enjoy it, not for money.
Examples
- Restoring the old house was a real labor of love.
- Writing the book was a labor of love for her.
manual labor
1/mˈænjuəl lˈeɪbɚ/
fixed phrase
Physical work by hand
Work where you use your body and hands, not machines or computers.
Examples
- The job involves a lot of manual labor in the warehouse.
- He earns his living through manual labor.
- Manual labor is tiring but rewarding for some people.
- Manual labor is tiring but rewarding.