THE IDIOM COLLECTION LEARN & PRACTISE
A labour of love
Understand the meaning. See it in context. Make it yours.
01 / UNDERSTAND
Meaning in plain English
Work you do because you care about it or enjoy it, rather than for payment.
02 / SEE IT IN CONTEXT
The expression in a sentence
- Restoring the village noticeboard was a labour of love for the volunteers.
03 / CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING
Quick idiom quiz
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Can you recall the expression?
Complete the example using the expression from this lesson.
Restoring the village noticeboard was ________ for the volunteers.
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A labour of love — Work you do because you care about it or enjoy it, rather than for payment.
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Make it yours
Write one sentence using “A labour of love” about your own life.
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Does your sentence match this meaning?
Work you do because you care about it or enjoy it, rather than for payment.
Compare: Restoring the village noticeboard was a labour of love for the volunteers.
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More ways to understand and use it
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When to use it
Use it warmly for a demanding personal or voluntary project that gives you satisfaction. It suits conversation and general writing.
More examples in context
- Her illustrated family history is a labour of love.
- Making the costumes by hand became a labour of love for the whole group.
Usage note
US English spells labour as labor. Hard work alone is not enough: affection or enjoyment is the reason for doing it.
A short conversation
A: You must have spent months collecting these old photographs.
B: I did, but the book has been a labour of love.
A: Your care shows in every page.
One more practice question
Which project is a labour of love?
A. A demanding family album made for the pleasure of preserving memories.
B. An unwanted task done only to receive a fee.
Check your answer
A. The work is motivated by care and enjoyment rather than payment.
Related lessons
Meaning and usage checked against Cambridge Dictionary. Explanations, examples and conversation are original.