belabor
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb: 1. To attack verbally with harsh criticism; to berate. To criticize someone or something repeatedly and severely. 2. To work at or discuss something to an excessive or absurd length. To elaborate on a point far beyond what is necessary or reasonable. 3. To beat soundly. (This meaning is now archaic or literary.)
Usage and Examples
- Verb (Meaning 1: Harsh Criticism):
- The senator belabored his opponent's inconsistent voting record during the debate.
- There's no need to belabor the intern for a simple mistake; just show her the correct procedure.
- Verb (Meaning 2: Excessive Discussion):
- The professor tended to belabor minor points, making his lectures much longer than needed.
- I won't belabor the argument, as my main point is already clear.
Advanced Usage and Nuances
- The most common modern usage relates to excessive verbal action (criticism or discussion) rather than physical action.
- The phrase "to belabor the point" or "to belabor the obvious" is a fixed expression meaning to discuss something simple or already understood in tedious, unnecessary detail.
- Example: Everyone knows smoking is harmful, so there's no need to belabor the point.
Variants and Related Words
- Belabour: The British English spelling variant.
- Labor (Verb): To work hard; to elaborate or stress a point in argument. ("Belabor" intensifies this meaning to imply excess.)
Synonyms
- Berate, lambaste, castigate (for meaning 1: harsh criticism).
- Overelaborate, dwell on, harp on (for meaning 2: excessive discussion).
- Beat, thrash (for the archaic meaning 3).
Idioms and Common Phrases
- Belabor the point / Belabor the obvious: To explain or discuss something simple or already known in excessive, unnecessary detail.
- Example: The instructions are self-explanatory; let's not belabor the obvious.
Verb
- beat soundly
- attack verbally with harsh criticism
- She was belabored by her fellow students
- to work at or to absurd length
- belabor the obvious