v. [f. BE- 4 + LABOUR.]
† 1. trans. To labor at, work at; to exert one’s strength or ability upon, to ply. Obs.
1604. Dekker, Honest Wh., Wks. 1873, II. 73. Husbands, whom they would belabour by all means possible to keepe em in their right wits.
a. 1631. Drayton, Nymphal, 8 (R.). Let the nimble hand belabour The whistling pipe.
1686. Barrow, Serm., III. 205. If the earth is belaboured with culture.
2. To thrash or buffet with all one’s might.
1600. Abp. Abbot, Jonah, 529. The tempest which belaboured him.
1609. Rowlands, Doct. Merrie-m., 9. His Maister tooke a Cudgell, And belabour’d him withall.
1724. Swift, Misc. (1735), V. 60. He saw Virago Nell belabour, With Dick’s own Staff his peaceful Neighbour.
1876. Smiles, Sc. Natur., i. 6. They were belaboured with every kind of weapon.
b. fig. To assail with words.
1596. Nashe, Saffron Walden, 108. With … complements hee belaboured him till his eares tingled.
1779. Cowper, Lett., 31 Oct. [He] has belaboured that great poet’s character with the most industrious cruelty.
1832. Austin, Jurispr. (1879), I. vi. 323. Nonsense wherewith the haters of improvement would belabour the audacious innovators.
