labor

/ˈlā-bər/

Middle English, from Anglo-French labur, from Latin labor; perhaps akin to Latin labare to totter, labi to slip

noun

expenditure of physical or mental effort especially when difficult or compulsory
the services performed by workers for wages as distinguished from those rendered by entrepreneurs for profits
human activity that provides the goods or services in an economy

was sentenced to six months at hard labor

work labor travail toil drudgery grind mean activity involving effort or exertion. work may imply activity of body, of mind, of a machine, or of a natural force. labor applies to physical or intellectual work involving great and often strenuous exertion.

verb

to exert one's powers of body or mind especially with painful or strenuous effort : work
to move with great effort
to suffer from some disadvantage or distress

adjective

of or relating to labor
of, relating to, or constituting a political party held to represent the interests of workers or made up largely of organized labor groups