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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Laborious, a. Also: laborios, -ius, -yus; lauborios, -ius. [ME. laborious (1390), F. laborieux, L. labōriōsus. Cf. Laborus a.]
1. Given to toil, industrious, hard-working; also, hard at work, active. 1513 Doug. xiii. Prol. 58.
Laboryus [R. Lauborius] emmotis, and the bissy beys 1530 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 29.
[Houses to be let] till sufficient tenentis that ar honest men and lauborius personis abill to wyn thar liffing, and nocht … till … vagabundis 1531 Bell. Boece I. xxxvi.
Dunde, … quhair mony virtewus and lauborius pepill ar in Ib. (M) I. 98/12.
The Romanis … [are] rycht laborious, of litill mete or sleip, and daylie exercit in batell a1538 Abell 42 b.
Wertimeir … tholit the lauborios Saxonis to remane in Cans 15.. Clar. v. 597.
Ilk ane to beddis gois, … Except worke men that war laborius, And bissie makand workis curious a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 61 (Wr.).
Laborious busie bees
2. Involving much labour or effort, toilsome, laborious. 1531 Bell. Boece I. 170.
Efter lang and lauborius battall Id. Livy I. 8/5.
The impire of Romanis is … rissin in sic magnificence … that the samyn is chargeand and lauborius to thame self 1533 Boece ii. xi. 80.
This kinrik quhilk be sa mony lauborios wayis our antecessouris conquest Ib. x. xvi. 392 b.
Kenneth … convoyit his cumpany, be ane lang lauborios way 1560 Rolland Seven S. 10631.
All besines that ar laborius 1596 Dalr. I. 127/24.
To appne vpe euerie smal office wil be laborious
3. Belonging to the peasant, artisan or labouring class, working-. 1533 Boece ii. vii. 70.
Of this infortunate batell the novellis to the lauborios pepill, … war … lamentabill a1538 Abell 70 b.
500 men at oppressit the comon lauborios pepill 1534–5 M. Works Acc. (ed.) 128.
For the paynttyne of … the knycht and the laborius man 1574 Aberd. Trades 51.
Quhairby the craftisman, thair servandis, and all utheris laborious folkis … may pas to thar labouris and fra thar labouris 1627 Orkney Rentals iii. 75.
The exacting of mercatt pryce … by and attour the beggering of laborious men it will … make his Majesties land want tennentis
b. Of tools : Used for work, work-. 1533 Boece xv. i. 573 b.
Ane husband man … had certane of his awne laborios instrumentis
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"Laborious adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 28 Apr 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/laborious>
