laboured
adjUS /ˈleɪ.bɚd/ · UK /ˈleɪ.bəd/
1
UK Expressive of strenuous effort.
- At the end of the marathon, her laboured breathing told us she was exhausted.
- At Par, 150207 is the unit for the 1416 to Newquay. It is quite tatty and lacks tables - but does have plug sockets. It sounds laboured as it leaves, and while it sounds like it's struggling as it tackles Luxulyan, it's not losing time.2026 January 7, 'Mystery Shopper', “Cornish cream - without the jams?”, in RAIL, number 1052, page 48:
2
UK, Figuratively Of writing or speech or similar, stilted or not natural due to too much effort being used in the production.
- Derived terms
- labouredly, unlaboured