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labour exchange

(dated, UK) An employment agency, a job centre.

ˈleɪˌbaʊɹ ɪksˈt͡ʃeɪnd͡ʒCurrent76 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🇬🇧 British & Irish slang
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UK
#1·Apr 27, 2026UK

(dated, UK) An employment agency, a job centre.

Against her father’s wishes, at the age of 18 Elizabeth registered at a labour exchange and undertook a vehicle maintenance course at Aldershot, Hampshire, learning how to strip an engine.
For parents

"labour exchange" means: An employment agency, a job centre.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.

For ESL learners

"labour exchange" means: An employment agency, a job centre.. Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. Note the regional or dialect label (dated) — usage may sound odd outside that variety. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.

Heard in the wild
  • The Ministry of Labour and Social Security invites applications from suitably qualified professionals to fill the following position:- Data Entry Clerk (MIS/IT 1) in the Labour Exchange Unit, St. Ann Regional Office. Learn more and apply at the link 🔗 bit.ly/49fv8VD

    Bluesky· May 2026
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For specific readers

"labour exchange" means: An employment agency, a job centre.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.

Why is this section here?

Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.

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UK

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UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.

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