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belabor — to explain or work at something in excessive detail or for too long

Part of speech: VERB

Definition: to explain or work at something in excessive detail or for too long

Pronunciation (IPA): /bɪˈleɪbər/

Example Sentences

  • My boss loves to belabor every tiny detail in meetings, turning 10-minute discussions into hour-long marathons.
  • The teacher decided not to belabor the homework policy since everyone already understood it.
  • Stop belaboring me with the same arguments - I've heard them a hundred times already!

belabor

VERB

[/bɪˈleɪbər/]

to explain or work at something in excessive detail or for too long

He continued to belabor the same point until everyone in the meeting looked exhausted.
💡 Concept

He continued to belabor the same point until everyone in the meeting looked exhausted.

BE (completely) + LABOR (work) — by completely (BE) wasting his LABOR on an already finished sculpture, the artist continued to belabor the details.
🧠 Mnemonic

BE (completely) + LABOR (work) — by completely (BE) wasting his LABOR on an already finished sculpture, the artist continued to belabor the details.

Angry about a refused favor, the aggressive neighbor began to verbally belabor him with insults.
🎵 Rhyme

Angry about a refused favor, the aggressive neighbor began to verbally belabor him with insults.

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🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/bɪˈleɪbər/
🇬🇧 UK/bɪˈleɪbə/

🌳Etymology

Prefixbe--
Rootlabor

Origin

From Middle English, combining the intensifying prefix 'be-' with 'labor' (to work). Originally meant 'to work excessively' but evolved to mean 'to emphasize excessively' or 'to beat repeatedly'.

Breakdown

be- (intensive prefix meaning 'thoroughly' or 'excessively') + labor (to work, from Latin laborare)

🎵Rhyme

neighbor
labor
savor

🔗Collocations

belabor the point
belabor the obvious
belabor with criticism
belabor repeatedly
belabor the issue

📝Examples

😄 Fun example

“My boss loves to belabor every tiny detail in meetings, turning 10-minute discussions into hour-long marathons.”

“The teacher decided not to belabor the homework policy since everyone already understood it.”

“Stop belaboring me with the same arguments - I've heard them a hundred times already!”

😄 Fun example

“The comedian belabored his joke so much that what was once funny became painfully awkward.”

📚Related Words

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