| 释义 |
belabour, v.|bɪˈleɪbər|
[f. be- 4 + labour.]
†1. trans. To labour at, work at; to exert one's strength or ability upon, to ply. Obs.
1604Dekker Honest Wh. Wks. 1873 II. 73 Husbands, whom they would belabour by all means possible to keepe em in their right wits. a1631Drayton Nymphal 8 (R.) Let the nimble hand belabour The whistling pipe. 1686Barrow Serm. III. 205 If the earth is belaboured with culture.
2. To thrash or buffet with all one's might.
1600Abp. Abbot Jonah 529 The tempest which belaboured him. 1609Rowlands Doct. Merrie-m. 9 His Maister tooke a Cudgell, And belabour'd him withall. 1724Swift Misc. (1735) V. 60 He saw Virago Nell belabour, With Dick's own Staff his peaceful Neighbour. 1876Smiles Sc. Natur. i. 6 They were belaboured with every kind of weapon.
b. fig. To assail with words.
1596Nashe Saffron Walden 108 With..complements hee belaboured him till his eares tingled. 1779Cowper Lett. 31 Oct., [He] has belaboured that great poet's character with the most industrious cruelty. 1832Austin Jurispr. (1879) I. vi. 323 Nonsense wherewith the haters of improvement would belabour the audacious innovators. |