[ˈɫa.bɔr], [ˈlaː.bor]
OrigoFrom Old Latin labōs, of uncertain origin. Perhaps from a Proto-Indo-European root *leb- (“to seize, take”), whence Sanskrit लभते (labhate, “take, gain”) and Lithuanian lõbis (“wealth”). More commonly connected with labō (“I totter”) (see Etymology 2 below), via semantic development "teetering under a heavy load" → "burden" → "work", but this is rejected by De Vaan, who however provides no alternative. The semantic connection is weak in either case.
Prósper (2019, 27 (483)) suggests a possible root *dh̥₂bʰ-ōs, cognate with Lithuanian dobti (“to strike, beat, kill, (dial.) torment, exhaust”). See source for more.
- declension-3, masculinework
- declension-3, masculinelabor, toil, exertion
“rege Numa, frūctū nōn respondente labōrī,” — When Numa was king, the produce not responding to the labor,
prayers were ineffective, the farmer deceived
- declension-3, masculine, poetichardship, trouble, fatigue, suffering, drudgery, distress
“Labore operis incitati” — Incited by the fatigue of the work
“et mediae tempora noctis erant, iam ducibus somnum dederat labor” — It was midnight, and by now their fatigue had given the leaders sleep.
- declension-3, masculineillness
- declension-3, masculinethe pain accompanying childbirth, labour
- conjugation-3, deponentto slip, slide, glide; (of fluids) to flow gently
“Quod superest, quaecumque premes virgulta per agros,
Sparge fimo pingui et multa memor occule terra,
Aut lapidem bibulum aut squalentis infode conchas;
Inter enim labentur aquae tenuisque subibit
Hali” — Translation by James B. Greenough
For the rest, whate'er
The sets thou plantest in thy fields, thereon
Strew refuse rich, and with abundant earth
Take heed to hide them, and dig in withal
Rough shells
- conjugation-3, deponentto fall, sink down
- conjugation-3, deponentto slip, stumble
- conjugation-3, deponentto vanish, pass away, elapse, escape
“Tempora lābuntur, tacitīsque senēscimus annīs,” — Times pass away, and with years unnoticed we grow old, and days flee with no bridle holding [them] back.
- conjugation-3, deponentto be mistaken, be wrong, err, commit a fault
Formaelabōris(genitive) · labor(nominative, singular) · labōrēs(nominative, plural) · labōris(genitive, singular) · labōrum(genitive, plural) · labōrī(dative, singular) · labōribus(dative, plural) · labōrem(accusative, singular) · labōrēs(accusative, plural) · labōre(ablative, singular) · labōribus(ablative, plural) · labor(singular, vocative) · labōrēs(plural, vocative) · labōs(alternative) · lābor(canonical) · lābī(infinitive, present) · lāpsus sum(active, perfect) · lābor(active, first-person, indicative, present, singular) · lāberis(active, indicative, present, second-person, singular) · lābere(active, indicative, present, second-person, singular)