a laborious line

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a laborious line" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a line of text, work, or effort that is difficult, tedious, or requires a lot of effort to produce or understand. Example: "The author struggled to write a laborious line that would convey the complexity of the character's emotions."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

He would type a laborious line or two and then tear the sheet out of the machine.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

It was long, laborious, and always gave me a headache.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

In all other editors - you have to stop writing - stop thinking - to either 'click a bold button' or start typing a long laborious line of HTML.

Forbes

"It is a laborious business.

The Guardian

However, a laborious off-line purification of mAbs is required to evaluate glycan heterogeneities.

Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis

Anyone who has spent time reading plays has his own favorite stage directions, from Shakespeare's "Exit, pursued by a bear" to Eugene O'Neill's laborious line-by-line descriptions to the gauntlet-dropping stagecraft challenges of Sarah Kane and Antonin Artaud.

The New York Times

For most of these species, transgenesis is a laborious endeavor and appropriate lines for live imaging are still limited or absent.

Development (Cambridge)

Because the production of stably expressing conifer lines takes about one year and the selection of transgenic lines is a laborious process, we performed transient expression assays in Nicotiana as a simple and efficient method for the quantitative analysis of plant promoters in vivo [ 61, 62].

BMC Plant Biology

Traditionally, monoclonal antibodies have been produced from hybridoma cell lines in a laborious process involving animal experimentation and screening large numbers of clones.

BMC Biotechnology

The need to check for mutations in the relevant cell line before designing a laborious knock down, knockout or PCR primer solely based on the C. griseus genome sequence is highlighted by the 9357 SNPs, which were found in the CHO DXB11 genome within the coding regions of 3458 genes.

BMC Genomics

The economy of line characteristic of his drawings was the result of a laborious process in which he made numerous preliminary sketches.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a laborious line", ensure the context clearly indicates what makes the line laborious. Be specific about the effort, time, or complexity involved.

Common error

Avoid using "a laborious line" when a simpler adjective like "difficult" or "complex" would suffice. The phrase is best reserved for situations where the effort involved is truly significant.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a laborious line" functions as an adjective phrase modifying the noun "line". It describes a quality of the line, indicating that it requires considerable effort or is difficult to produce or understand. As Ludwig explains, it is grammatically correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

30%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a laborious line" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe a line of text, effort, or work that demands significant effort. Ludwig confirms its validity and usability. Though not very common, its usage is more frequent in contexts such as News & Media and Science. When writing, consider whether a simpler adjective might suffice, reserving "a laborious line" for situations where the effort involved is truly substantial. Alternatives include "a difficult line" or "a painstaking line".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a difficult line

Replaces "laborious" with a more common synonym, focusing on the challenge involved.

a painstaking line

Emphasizes the meticulous care and effort required in creating the line.

an arduous line

Highlights the strenuous nature of the line, suggesting it is physically or mentally demanding.

a toilsome line

Similar to arduous, but with a stronger connotation of hard work and exhaustion.

a challenging line

Focuses on the difficulty and the need for skill to create or understand the line.

a demanding line

Suggests the line requires significant attention and effort to handle properly.

a trying line

Implies the line is testing one's patience or abilities.

a burdensome line

Emphasizes the heaviness or oppressiveness associated with dealing with the line.

a wearisome line

Focuses on the tiring and monotonous nature of the line.

a backbreaking line

A more figurative way to describe a line that requires extreme physical or mental effort.

FAQs

How can I use "a laborious line" in a sentence?

You can use "a laborious line" to describe something that requires significant effort or is tedious. For example, "He would type "a laborious line" or two and then tear the sheet out of the machine".

What can I say instead of "a laborious line"?

You can use alternatives like "a difficult line", "a painstaking line", or "an arduous line" depending on the context.

Is "a laborious line" formal or informal?

"A laborious line" is generally considered neutral to formal. It can be used in both news and media, as well as scientific contexts, but it's not overly technical or casual.

What is the difference between "a laborious line" and "a long line"?

"A laborious line" refers to something that requires significant effort, while "a long line" simply describes the physical length of a line. They are not interchangeable.