Labour, subst. 1) toilsome work, painful exertion: “an unpractised swimmer with too much l. drowns for want of skill,” Lucr. 1099. “a charm joined to their suffered l.” Tp. I, 2, 231. “their l. delight in them sets off,” III, 1, 1. Meas. IV, 2, 69. Shr. V, 2, 149. Tw. III, 1, 73. Wint. IV, 4, 61. H4A IV, 3, 23. H4B IV, 4, 118. H5 II, 2, 37. H6C I, 4, 20. H8 I, 1, 25. Rom. IV, 5, 45. Mcb. I, 4, 44. II, 2, 38. Ant. I, 3, 93. II, 7, 105. IV, 14, 47. Cymb. III, 4, 107. III, 5, 168. Plur. “--s:” Tp. III, 1, 7. Tp. III, 1, 7 H6B I, 1, 95. H6C V, 7, 20. Lr. I, 4, 7. “Hercules' --s:” Ado II, 1, 380. Shr. I, 2, 257. All's III, 4, 12 “(taken --s).” Cor. IV, 1, 18.
2) pains: “though I be o'er ears for my l.” Tp. IV, 214. “gave me nothing for my l.” Gent. I, 1, 104. a mocker of my l. As II, C, Gent. I, 1, 104 R2 II, 3, 62. R2 II, 3, 62 Troil. I, 1, 70. Troil. I, 1, 70 Tim. I, 1, 232. Mcb. II, 3, 55. Hml. II, 2, 83 “(well-took l.)” Lr. IV, 6, 274. Oth. IV, 1, 38. IV, 3, 81. Ant. IV, 14, 37. Per. I, 1, 66. “l. well bestowed,” Wiv. II, 1, 248. “ill bestowed,” Ado III, 2, 103. “to lose one's l.:” Wiv. II, 1, 247. Meas. V, 433. Err. V, 97. Merch. II, 7, 74. All's III, 5, 8. Wint. IV, 4, 787. Mcb. V, 8, 8. “to save l.:” Lucr. 1290. Err. IV, 1, 14. As II, 7, 8. H4A V, 4, 57. H5 IV, 3, 121. H8 II, 1, 3. Troil. III, 3, 241. Cor. I, 3, 90. Oth. V, 1, 101. “take it for your l.:” Gent. II, 1, 139. R2 V, 6, 41. H4A IV, 2, 7. Tim. I, 1, 213. Cymb. I, 5, 61. “there's for thy l.” H5 III, 6, 167.
3) any work: till I have honoured you with some graver l. Ven. Ded. H5 III, 6, 167 “you mar our l.” Tp. I, 1, 15. “shortly shall all my --s end,” IV, 265. “bring this l. to an happy end,” John III, 2, 10. “I do not like that paying back, 'tis a double l.” H4A III, 3, 202. “with profitable l.” H5 IV, 1, 294. a blessed l. (peace-making) R3 II, 1, 52. Cor. I, 1, 104. Tim. I, 1, 152. Cymb. I, 6, 108. Per. II Prol. 19. II, 1, 56. II, 1, 56
4) the pangs of childbirth: “the queen's in l.” H8 V, 1, 18. “she'll with the l. end,” H8 V, 1, 18 “with news the time's with l.” Ant. III, 7, 81.
5) any pang or distress: “what labour is't to leave the thing we have not,” Compl. 239. “if lost, why then a grievous l. won,” Gent. I, 1, 33.