The Collaborative International Dictionary
Laboring oar
Laboring \La"bor*ing\, a.
-
That labors; performing labor; esp., performing coarse, heavy work, not requiring skill also, set apart for labor; as, laboring days.
The sleep of a laboring man is sweet.
--Eccl. v. 1 -
2. Suffering pain or grief.
--Pope.Laboring oar, the oar which requires most strength and exertion; often used figuratively; as, to have, or pull, the laboring oar in some difficult undertaking.
Usage examples of "laboring oar".
That in measures brought forward by myself, I took the laboring oar, as was incumbent on me.
Mason wishes to adopt the position that no _corpus delicti_ has been proven, I think he has the laboring oar.