hard labor—imprisonment with hard physical work as a punishment:
- Glynn was sentenced to three months hard labor, but won an appeal.
hard work—
1. difficult and tiring work:
- It has been hard work to establish order here.
2. (coll.) said of smb. who is difficult to deal with:
- I had to sit next to Frank at dinner. I don’t know about you, but I find him such hard work.