label — English Dictionary

label
Pronunciations (7)
  • /ˈleɪ.bəl/
    Pronunciation notes
    • Canada
    • UK
    • US
  • [ˈleɪ.bɫ̩]
    Pronunciation notes
    • Canada
    • UK
    • US
  • [ˈlɛj.b(ə)ɫ]
    Pronunciation notes
    • British
    • Southern
    • Standard
  • [ˈleː.b(ə)ɫ]
    Pronunciation notes
    • Canada
  • /ˈlæɪ.bəl/
    Pronunciation notes
    • Australia
  • [ˈlæɪ.bɫ̩]
    Pronunciation notes
    • Australia
  • ˈleɪbəl

Noun

  1. A small ticket or sign giving information about something to which it is attached or intended to be attached.

    Examples

    We laughed at her because the label was still on her new sweater.

    The label says this silk scarf should not be washed in the washing machine.

    More examples (1)

    Although the label priced this poster at three pounds, I got it for two.

  2. A name given to something or someone to categorise them as part of a particular social group.

    Examples

    Ever since he started going to the rock club, he's been given the label "waster".

  3. A company that sells records.

    Synonyms
    Examples

    The label signed the band after hearing a demo tape.

  4. A user-defined alias for a numerical designation, the reverse of an enumeration.

    Examples

    Storage devices can be given by label or ID.

  5. A named place in source code that can be jumped to using a GOTO or equivalent construct.

  6. A charge resembling the strap crossing the horse’s chest from which pendants are hung.

    Synonyms
  7. A tassel.

    Usage
    • Obsolete
    Examples

    the arms or escutcheon of France , hanging by a label on an oak

  8. A small strip, especially of paper or parchment (or of some material attached to parchment to carry the seal), but also of iron, brass, land, etc.

    Examples

    Ere this hand, by thee to Romeo seal'd, / Shall be the label to another deed.

    They […] 'sealed the grave, and rolled a great stone at the mouth of it' and as an ancient tradition says, bound it about with labels of iron.

    More examples (2)

    Where Balak met Balaam, standing as it were on his tiptoes on the very last labell of his land, to reach forth […]

    The flesh and skin hung down in long Collops and Labels.

  9. A piece of writing added to something, such as a codicil appended to a will.

  10. A brass rule with sights, formerly used with a circumferentor to take altitudes.

    Usage
    • Historical
  11. The projecting moulding by the sides, and over the tops, of openings in mediaeval architecture.

    Examples

    Sculptured ends of labels are called label-stops.

  12. In mediaeval and later art, a representation of a band or scroll containing an inscription.

    Examples
    More examples (4)

    2654. Two-handled globular vase; early Deruta lustred ware; centre surrounded by a band of scroll work; on each side the neck is an oval compartment with clasped hands, and a label scroll inscribed "Co pura fe.;" decoration, blue outline on white ground filled in with yellow lustre.

    Boime correctly suggests that medieval artists who employed labels or scrolls to gloss illustrations typically configured text and image in visually overlapping, but cognitively separate, spaces.

    The author notes that: Each of these held in one Hand a Scroll or Label, upon which were inscribed in Latin, but in the Old English Character, the Names of Kings and Saints of the Royal Line of MERCIA. Many of the Labels are broke off, others are so much defaced, that only a Syllable or two can be read.

    While word balloons had been present in Europe for some time, from the phylactery (inscribed scroll) seen in medieval art to the 'labels' or 'banners' of nineteenth-century English satirical illustrator George Cruikshank, among others ...

  13. A non-interactive control or widget displaying text, often used to describe the purpose of another control.

Verb

  1. To put a label (a ticket or sign) on (something).

    Usage
    • Transitive
    Examples

    The shop assistant labeled all the products in the shop.

  2. To give (a label) to (someone or something) in order to categorise that person or thing.

    Usage
    • Transitive or intransitive
    • Ditransitive
    Examples

    He's been unfairly labeled as a cheat, although he's only ever cheated once.

    More examples (3)

    A friend of mine who runs an intellectual magazine was grousing about his movie critic, complaining that though the fellow had liked The Godfather (page 58), he had neglected to label it clearly as a masterpiece.

    The other side can label and name-call all they want, but I trust the American people to recognize that it is not surrender to end the war in Iraq so that we can rebuild our military and go after Al Qaida's leaders.

    And the liberal blogosphere has long labeled Clinton part of the neoconservative wing, a conservative intellectual movement that supports an interventionist foreign policy.

  3. To replace specific atoms by their isotope in order to track the presence or movement of this isotope through a reaction, metabolic pathway or cell.

  4. To add a detectable substance, either transiently or permanently, to a biological substance in order to track the presence of the label-substance combination either in situ or in vitro

    Examples
    More examples (1)

    They may be used to label and image a protein within tissue, to isolate cells on the basis of marker expression, or to physically capture a protein from a complex biological mixture....

Noun

  1. a brief description given for purposes of identification

    Broader terms
    Examples

    the label modern is applied to many different kinds of architecture

  2. trade name of a company that produces musical recordings

    Examples

    the artists and repertoire department of a recording label is responsible for finding new talent

  3. a radioactive isotope that is used in a compound in order to trace the mechanism of a chemical reaction

    Broader terms
  4. an identifying or descriptive marker that is attached to an object

    Broader terms

Verb

  1. assign a label to; designate with a label

    Broader terms
    Examples

    These students were labelled ‘learning disabled’

  2. attach a tag or label to

    Synonyms
    Broader terms
    Examples

    label these bottles

  3. pronounce judgment on

    Broader terms
    Examples

    They labeled him unfit to work here

  4. distinguish (as a compound or molecule) by introducing a labeled atom

  5. distinguish (an element or atom) by using a radioactive isotope or an isotope of unusual mass for tracing through chemical reactions

Word forms
labelslabelslabelinglabellinglabeledlabeledlabelledlabelled

Code Formatters

Format and beautify Java, Python, JavaScript, JSON, HTML and more; adjust indentation, spacing and line breaks.

More tools

Audio Editing & Effects

Trim, join or split recordings, remove silence or noise, and adjust volume, speed, pitch or channels.

More tools

Spreadsheet Tools

Open and edit CSV or Excel sheets, format tabular text, and convert CSV to Excel or SQL.

More tools

Markdown Tools

Write and preview Markdown, render Mermaid diagrams, and convert Markdown, HTML and tables between formats.

More tools

Text Tools

Compare passages, count words and keywords, sort or replace lines, and view DOCX text.

More tools

Dictionaries

Look up Chinese meanings, synonyms and antonyms, or find IPA pronunciations in multiple languages.

Audio Conversion & Playback

Convert between MP3, WAV, FLAC and more, play audio or raw PCM, and inspect or edit audio metadata.

JSON & Data Tools

Inspect, compare and validate JSON; test JSONPath expressions, or convert data to CSV, YAML and XML.

More tools

Speech Tools

Transcribe audio to text, generate speech from text, or record your voice in the browser.

Video Tools

Convert and compress video, trim or join clips, resize frames, and extract audio.

More tools

Video Playback & Recording

Play local or streaming video, record your screen or camera, and use your camera as an online mirror.

PDF Tools

Compress or merge PDFs, split and rearrange pages, convert pages to images, and view or compare documents.

More tools

Image Tools

Convert image formats, resize or crop photos, compress files, compare pictures, and extract text with OCR.

More tools

Image Creation

Capture and beautify screenshots, turn text into images or GIFs, draw on a whiteboard, and create word clouds or favicons.

More tools

Subtitle Tools

Edit SRT or VTT captions with a video preview, shift timing, convert formats, and manage subtitle tracks.

More tools

Archive Tools

Open ZIP, 7Z, RAR or TAR files, extract selected contents, and create new archives with optional ZIP/7Z passwords.

Encoders | Decoders

Encode and decode Base64 or Base32, escape URLs, HTML and Unicode text, and inspect JWT contents.

More tools

Number Tools

Convert number bases and values between binary, decimal and hex; turn numbers into words or text into binary.

Calculators

Work out percentages and fractions, summarize statistics, and calculate grades, discounts or aspect ratios.

More tools

Time Tools

Show an online clock, run a countdown or stopwatch, and calculate dates, ages or time-zone differences.

More tools

Network Tools

Check your IP and IPv6 connection, inspect HTTP requests or HAR files, and calculate CIDR address ranges.

Unit Conversions

Convert length, weight, temperature, data storage and other units.

Color Tools

Convert HEX, RGB and HSL values, extract colors from an image, check contrast, or test your display with solid colors.

QR Codes & Barcodes

Generate and scan QR codes or barcodes, including QR codes for links and Wi-Fi networks.

Developer & Security Tools

Generate hashes, UUIDs and passwords, test regular expressions, create URL slugs and check file permissions.

More tools

Utility Tools

Check screen resolution and refresh rate, measure with a screen ruler, test keys, or read from a teleprompter.

More tools

Games

2048, Minesweeper, Sudoku, Gomoku, Tank Battle

More tools