BELABOUR

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does belabour mean? 

• BELABOUR (verb)
  The verb BELABOUR has 3 senses:

1. to work at or to absurd length

2. beat soundly

3. attack verbally with harsh criticism

  Familiarity information: BELABOUR used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BELABOUR (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they belabour    ... he / she / it belabours   
Past simple: belaboured   
Past participle: belaboured   
-ing form: belabouring   

Sense 1

Meaning:

To work at or to absurd length

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

belabor; belabour

Context example:

belabor the obvious

Hypernyms (to "belabour" is one way to...):

work at; work on (to exert effort in order to do, make, or perform something)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Beat soundly

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

belabor; belabour

Hypernyms (to "belabour" is one way to...):

beat; beat up; work over (give a beating to; subject to a beating, either as a punishment or as an act of aggression)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 3

Meaning:

Attack verbally with harsh criticism

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

belabor; belabour

Context example:

She was belabored by her fellow students

Hypernyms (to "belabour" is one way to...):

criticise; criticize; knock; pick apart (find fault with; express criticism of; point out real or perceived flaws)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

 Context examples 

The other paid him back in the same coin, and they got into such a rage that they tore up trees and belaboured each other so long, that at last they both fell down dead on the ground at the same time.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Neither of them possessed energy or wit to belabour me soundly, but they insulted me as coarsely as they could in their little way: especially Celine, who even waxed rather brilliant on my personal defects—deformities she termed them.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)