What does belabouring mean?
Belabouring is a verb that means to discuss or explain something at excessive length, often in a tedious or repetitive manner. It is commonly used in formal or academic contexts to describe excessive explanation or discussion. However, it can also be used in informal settings to describe tedious or repetitive behaviour. The word is derived from the noun 'labour', which refers to hard work or effort. Belabouring is often used to describe situations where someone is prolonging a discussion or explanation beyond what is necessary. It can also be used to describe situations where someone is being overly repetitive or tedious. In general, belabouring is a useful word for describing situations where someone is being excessive or tedious in their explanation or discussion.
verbTo discuss or explain something at excessive length, often in a tedious or repetitive manner.
- To discuss or explain something at excessive length, often in a tedious or repetitive manner.
"The professor was belabouring a simple point, making it seem more complicated than it needed to be."
"The professor was belabouring a simple point, making it seem more complicated than it needed to be."
"The politician's speech belaboured the same point for hours, losing the audience's attention."
The plural form 'belabourings' is used to describe situations where multiple people are belabouring a point or discussion.
"The students were belabouring the same point for hours, losing the audience's attention."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of belabouring
The word 'belabouring' is derived from the noun 'labour', which refers to hard work or effort. The verb 'belabouring' is formed by adding the suffix '-ing' to the noun, which indicates a state of being or an action. The word 'labour' is thought to have originated from the Old French word 'labourer', which means 'to work' or 'to toil'. The word 'labour' has been used in the English language since the 14th century, and the verb 'belabouring' has been used since the 17th century.
How belabouring is actually used
Belabouring is often used in formal or academic contexts to describe excessive explanation or discussion. It can also be used in informal settings to describe tedious or repetitive behaviour.