Belabor
/bɪˈleɪ.bər/noun
To explain or discuss something at unnecessary length, or to work at something repeatedly and laboriously.
Did you know?Belabor comes from the prefix be- plus Old English laborian, and that same ancient root is behind the modern word labor — so the word itself carries the weight of repeated toil.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
laborian
“to toil, work hard”
Middle English
ME
belauren / belabouren
“to work upon, fatigue, or beat repeatedly”
Late Middle English
ME
belaubour
“to exert effort on something at length”
Modern English
English
belabor
“to dwell on or work at something excessively”
Explore more surprising origins