mão de obra — meaning in English

English meaning

• hand noun The part of the body at the end of the arm, used for grasping and manipulating objects.
• labour noun Hard physical or mental effort put into a task; work.
• workforce noun All the people employed by a company, industry, or country.

Senses

mão de obra is used for these senses in English:

• hand (especially in compounds) An agent; a servant, or manual laborer; a workman, trained or competent for special service or duty.
• labour (uncountable) Workers in general; the working class, the workforce; sometimes specifically the labour movement, organised labour.
• labour force The collective group of people who are available for employment, whether currently employed or unemployed (though sometimes only those unemployed people who are seeking work are included).
• workforce All the workers employed by a specific organization or state, or on a specific project.

hand — full definition

1. noun The part of the body at the end of the arm, used for grasping and manipulating objects.
2. noun The cards a player is holding in a card game, or a single round of play.
3. noun Help or assistance, especially physical.
4. noun A worker or laborer, especially one hired for manual work.
5. verb To pass or give something to someone using the hand.

labour — full definition

1. noun Hard physical or mental effort put into a task; work.
2. noun Workers as a group, especially the working class, or a political movement representing them.
3. noun The process of childbirth, including the contractions leading up to it.
4. verb To work hard at something, or to move forward with great effort or difficulty.

Related Portuguese words