c. 1300, "a task, a project;" later "exertion of the body; trouble, difficulty, hardship" (late 14c.), from Old French labor "labor, toil, work, exertion, task" (12c., Modern French labeur), from Latin laborem (nominative labor) "labor, toil, exertion; hardship, pain, fatigue; a work, a product of labor," of uncertain origin, perhaps originally from the notion of "tottering under a burden," and related to labere "to totter."
Meaning "body of laborers considered as a class" (usually contrasted to capitalists) is from 1839. Sense of "physical exertions of childbirth" is 1590s, earlier labour of birthe (early 15c.), a sense also found in Old French, and compare French en travail "in (childbirth) suffering" (see travail). Labor Day first marked 1882 in New York City.
labor (v.)
late 14c., "perform manual or physical work; work hard; keep busy; take pains, strive, endeavor" (also "copulate"), from Old French laborer "work, toil; struggle, have difficulty," from Latin laborare, from labor (see labor (n.)). The verb in modern French, Spanish, Portuguese means "to plow;" the wider sense being taken by the equivalent of English travail. Sense of "to endure pain, suffer" is early 15c., especially in phrase labor of child. Related: Labored; laboring.
例文
1. Each family farms individually and reaps the benefit of its labor .
それぞれの農場を経営し、それぞれの労働成果を収穫している。
2.The trading day is shortened in observance of the Labor Day holiday.
労働節を祝うため、この取引日の取引時間は短縮された。
3.The British Labor Party concludes its annual conference today in Brighton.英国労働党の年次会議が本日ブライトンで閉幕した。
4.The Labor Department figures underscore the shaky state of the economic recovery.
労働部のデータは、景気回復状況の不安定さをさらに裏付けている。
5.The current division of labor between workers and management will alter.