King James Bible Dictionary

General references
Genesis 3:19; Exodus 20:9-11; Exodus 23:12; Exodus 34:21; Leviticus 19:13; Deuteronomy 24:14-15; Deuteronomy 25:4; 1 Corinthians 9:9; 1 Timothy 5:18; Ecclesiastes 5:12; Jeremiah 22:13; Malachi 3:5; Matthew 20:1-15; Luke 10:7; Acts 20:35; Ephesians 4:28; 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12; 2 Thessalonians 3:7-13; James 5:4
Employee; Employer; Idleness; Industry; Master; Servant

LA'BOR, noun [Latin labor from labo, to fail.]

1. Exertion of muscular strength, or bodily exertion which occasions weariness; particularly, the exertion of the limbs in occupations by which subsistence is obtained, as in agriculture and manufactures, in distinction from exertions of strength in play or amusements, which are denominated exercise, rather than labor Toilsome work; pains; travail; any bodily exertion which is attended with fatigue. After the labors of the day, the farmer retires, and rest is sweet. Moderate labor contributes to health.

What is obtained by labor will of right be the property of him by whose labor it is gained.

2. Intellectual exertion; application of the mind which occasions weariness; as the labor of compiling and writing a history.

3. Exertion of mental powers, united with bodily employment; as the labors of the apostles in propagating christianity.

4. Work done, or to be done; that which requires wearisome exertion.

Being a labor of so great difficulty, the exact performance thereof we may rather wish than look for.

5. Heroic achievement; as the labors of Hercules.

6. Travail; the pangs and efforts of childbirth.

7. The evils of life; trials; persecution, etc.

They rest from their labors - Revelation 14:1.

LA'BOR, verb intransitive [Latin laboro.]

1. To exert muscular strength; to act or move with painful effort, particularly in servile occupations; to work; to toil.

Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work - Exodus 20:1.

2. To exert one's powers of body or mind, or both, in the prosecution of any design; to strive; to take pains.

Labor not for the meat which perisheth. John 6:1.

3. To toil; to be burdened.

Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:1.

4. To move with difficulty.

The stone that labors up the hill.

5. To move irregularly with little progress; to pitch and roll heavily; as a ship in a turbulent sea.

6. To be in distress; to be pressed.

- As sounding cymbals aid the laboring moon.

7. To be in travail; to suffer the pangs of childbirth.

8. To journey or march.

Make not all the people to labor thither. Joshua 7:1.

9. To perform the duties of the pastoral office. 1 Timothy 5:1.

10. To perform christian offices.

To labor under, to be afflicted with; to be burdened or distressed with; as, to labor under a disease or an affliction.

LA'BOR, verb transitive

1. To work at; to till; to cultivate.

The most excellent lands are lying fallow, or only labored by children.

2. To prosecute with effort; to urge; as, to labor a point or argument.

3. To form or fabricate with exertion; as, to labor arms for Troy.

4. To beat; to belabor. [The latter word is generally used.]

5. To form with toil and care; as a labored composition.

LA'BORANT, noun A chimist. [Not used.]

LAB'ORATORY, noun

1. A house or place where operations and experiments in chimistry, pharmacy, pyrotechny, etc., are performed.

2. A place where arms are manufactured or repaired, or fire-works prepared; as the laboratory in Springfield, in Massachusetts.

3. A place where work is performed, or any thing is prepared for use. Hence the stomach is called the grand laboratory of the human body; the liver, the laboratory of the bile.

LA'BORED, participle passive Tilled; cultivated; formed with labor.

LA'BORER, noun One who labors in a toilsome occupation; a man who does work that requires little skill, as distinguished from an artisan.

LA'BORING, participle present tense

1. Exerting muscular strength or intellectual power; toiling; moving with pain or with difficulty; cultivating.

2. A laboring man, or laborer, is often used for a man who performs work that requires no apprenticeship or professional skill, in distinction from an artisan; but this restricted sense is not always observed. A hard laboring man, is one accustomed to hard labor.

LABO'RIOUS, adjective [Latin laboriosus.]

1. Using exertion; employing labor; diligent in work or service; assiduous; used of persons; as a laborious husbandman or mechanic; a laborious minister or pastor.

2. Requiring labor; toilsome; tiresome; not easy; as laborious duties or services.

3. Requiring labor, exertion, perseverance or sacrifices.

Dost thou love watchings, abstinence or toil, laborious virtues all? Learn these from Cato.

LABO'RIOUSLY, adverb With labor, toil or difficulty.

LABO'RIOUSNESS, noun

1. The quality of being laborious, or attended with toil; toilsomeness; difficulty.

2. Diligence; assiduity.

LA'BORLESS, adjective Not laborious.

LA'BORSOME, adjective Made with great labor and diligence. [Not in use.]