qwe88,
читать документацию ... там есть очень похожий пример.
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<script src='http://code.jquery.com/jquery-latest.js'></script>
<style type='text/css'>
span{
background-image: -webkit-gradient(linear, left, right, color-stop(0, #5CC3FF), color-stop(1, #0060BF));
background-image: -o-linear-gradient(left, #5CC3FF, #0060BF);
background-image: -moz-linear-gradient(left, #5CC3FF, #0060BF);
background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(left, #5CC3FF, #0060BF);
background-image: linear-gradient(to right, #5CC3FF, #0060BF)
}
</style>
<script type='text/javascript'>
$(function(){
$('td').contents().filter(function() {
return this.nodeType == 3 && /[^\s]/.test(this.nodeValue);
})
.wrap('<span></span>')
});
</script>
</head>
<body>
<table>
<tr>
<td>
Слово 1
<label>
<input />
<div></div>
</label>
</td>
<td>
Слово 2
<label>
<input />
<div></div>
</label>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Слово 3
<label>
<input />
<div></div>
</label>
</td>
<td>
Слово 4
<label>
<input />
<div></div>
</label>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</body>
</html>