labour
noun (especially US labor)
ˈleɪbə(r) 
ˈleɪbər work
1 [uncountable] work, especially physical workmanual labour (= work using your hands)The price will include the labour and materials.The company wants to keep down labour costs.The workers voted to withdraw their labour (= to stop work as a means of protest).He was sentenced to two years in a labour camp (= a type of prison where people have to do hard physical work).2 [countable, usually plural] (formal) a task or period of workHe was so exhausted from the day's labours that he went straight to bed.People look forward to enjoying the fruits of their labours during retirement.people who work
3 [uncountable] the people who work or are available for work in a country or companya shortage of labourEmployers are using immigrants as cheap labour.Repairs involve skilled labour, which can be expensive.good labour relations (= the relationship between workers and employers)having baby
4 [uncountable, countable, usually singular] the period of time or the process of giving birth to a babyJane was in labour for ten hours.She went into labour early.labour painsOlder women tend to have more difficult labours.politics
5 Labour [singular + singular or plural verb] (abbr. Lab.) the British Labour PartyHe always votes Labour.Labour was/were in power for many years.Idioms
a labour of love
a hard task that you do because you want to, not because it is necessary
Writing the book was a labour of love.