Belabored Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations
๐ฉ
belabored
[bษชหleษชbษrd ]
Definition
excessive effort
Belabored refers to something that is overly prolonged, excessive, or tedious. In a context such as speaking or writing, it signifies an approach that has been excessively elaborated on or stretched beyond necessity. When a point is belabored, it is repeated or explained in a way that is unnecessarily complicated. This often leads to loss of interest among listeners or readers due to the lengthy explanations.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- His belabored speech made the audience lose focus.
- The belabored instructions confused rather than clarified.
- Her belabored explanation seemed to go on forever.
Translations
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Interesting Facts
Literature
- Authors often use 'belabored' to describe characters who struggle with communication or over-explain ideas.
- In critiques, a writing style described as belabored may indicate that the author has overdone explanations, losing reader interest.
- Classic literature often portrays belabored explanations as a reflection of a character's insecurity or anxiety.
Psychology
- People may belabor topics due to anxiety; they feel they need to explain more to feel understood.
- Overthinking can lead to a belabored approach in conversations, where individuals fear making mistakes or being judged.
- Societal pressures can influence individuals to belabor ideas, attempting to impress others rather than communicating clearly.
Pop Culture
- In many comedic films, characters tend to belabor jokes or scenarios, creating humor through their excessive elaboration.
- Television shows often caricature politicians or public speakers as belabored to highlight their overly detailed speech patterns.
- The concept of belaboring a point has become a comedic trope in social media, where influencers may excessively dwell on a topic.
Origin of 'belabored'
Main points about word origin
- The word comes from the combination of 'be-' (to make) and 'labor,' meaning to work hard.
- By the early 1800s, 'belabored' began to be used in English to describe excessive effort or detail.
- The prefix 'be-' in this context suggests an intensification of laboring or working.
The word 'belabored' derives from the verb 'belabor', which combines the prefix 'be-' meaning 'to make' or 'to cause' with 'labor', coming from the Latin 'laborare', meaning 'to work'. This construction implies the act of working something to an excessive degree. The term has been used since the late 16th century to describe the action of laboring or performing labor in an exaggerated manner. Its evolution reflects a linguistic tendency to emphasize the notion of excessive effort or redundancy, particularly in communication. Over the years, the usage has broadened to encompass any situation where a point or task is elaborately or excessively explained, leading to a sense of tedium or annoyance in the audience.