a. Also 6 -yous(e. [ad. F. laborieux (12–13th c. in Hatz.-Darm.) or ad. L. labōriōs-us, f. labor LABOUR: see -IOUS.]
1. Given to labor or toil; doing much work; assiduous in work, hard-working.
1390. Gower, Conf., II. 90. If thou wolt here Of hem that whilom vertuous Were and therto laborious.
c. 1407. Scogan, Moral Balade, 69. Therefore laborious Ought ye to be, beseeching god … To yeve you might for to be vertuous.
1555. Eden, Decades, 318. Thinhabitauntes are men of good corporature … and laborious.
1634. Rainbow, Labour (1635), 5. The limbs of your industry are so strong and laborious.
a. 1648. Ld. Herbert, Autobiog., Life (1886), 192. He … was observed seldom or never … to sweat much, though he were very laborious.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 242. All … combine to drive The lazy Drones from the laborious Hive.
1709. Steele, Tatler, No. 21, ¶ 5. Laborious Ben’s Works will bear this Sort of Inquisition.
1752. Hume, Pol. Disc., i. 17. Their own steel and iron, in such laborious hands, become equal to the gold and rubies of the Indies.
1857. Ld. Dufferin, Lett. fr. High Latitudes (1867), 78. Those calm laborious minds … pursuing day by day with single-minded energy some special object.
1871. Morley, Voltaire (1886), 9. He was always serious in meaning and laborious in matter.
b. = LABOURING ppl. a. 1.
1777. Hume, Ess. & Treat., I. 280. By this means … a greater number of laborious men are maintained, who may be diverted to the public service.
1795. Burke, Th. Scarcity, Wks. VII. 378. The moral or philosophical happiness of the laborious classes.
2. Of actions, conditions, etc.: Characterized by or involving labor or much work; toilsome. † Of wages: Hardly earned. Obs.
14[?]. Chaucer’s Friar’s T., 130 (Corpus MS.). My office [is] ful laborious.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 83. Nothynge is more … laboryous to kepe, than is virginite.
1549. Leland (title), The laboryouse Journey and Serche of Johan Leylande for Englandes Antiquitees.
1607. Topsell, Hist. Four-f. Beasts (1658), Pref. I have not any accesse of maintenance, but by voluntary benevolence for personal pains, receiving no more but a laborious wages.
1611. Bible, Ecclus. vii. 15. Hate not laborious worke, neither husbandrie.
1637. Milton, Lycidas, 72. To scorn delights, and live laborious dayes.
1725. Pope, Odyss., III. 127. Shall I the long laborious scene review, And open all the wounds of Greece anew?
1752. Johnson, Rambler, No. 204, ¶ 11. Forced jests, and laborious laughter.
1781. Gibbon, Decl. & F., III. 202. The subject of minute and laborious disquisition.
1845. M. Pattison, Ess. (1889), I. 7. In a laborious anxiety to be correct, they have evaporated away all the spirit of their book.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. iv. 33. These days were laborious and instructive.
1878. Jevons, Primer Pol. Econ., 43. The great advantage of capital is that it enables us to do work in the least laborious way.
b. Of concrete objects: Entailing labor in construction or execution; involving much elaboration. † Also (rare–1), Causing wearisome toil.
1555. Eden, Decades, To Rdr. (Arb.), 49. The laborious Tabernacle whiche Moises buylded.
1666. Pepys, Diary, 14 July. Up betimes to the office to write fair a laborious letter.
1705. Addison, Italy (1733), 105. The long laborious Pavement here he treads.
1824. Miss Ferrier, Inher., xlvii. A most laborious and long-winded letter.
1847. Tennyson, Princess, Prol. 20. Laborious orient ivory sphere in sphere.
1856. Kane, Arct. Expl., II. iii. 45. We have a large and laborious outfit to arrange.
3. Midwifery. Attended with severe labor.
1637. T. Morton, New Eng. Canaan (1883), 148. Very apt are they to be with childe, and very laborious when they beare children.
1753. N. Torriano, Gangr. Sore Throat, 23. Labours in such Circumstances are generally laborious.
1754–64. Smellie, Midwifery, I. 242. Laborious births.
1855. Mayne, Expos. Lex., Labour, Laborious, or Instrumental … that requiring the use of extracting instruments for its completion … also called Difficult Labour.
† 4. Pertaining to labor. Obs. rare–1.
1632. Quarles, Div. Fancies, II. lxxvi. (1660), 89. Me thinks that they should change their trade [sc. that of the theatre] for shame Or honour’t with a more laborious name.
