1. physically demanding work or manual labor that requires great effort and endurance
The construction workers endured years of hard labor to build the bridge.
Os operários da construção suportaram anos de trabalho forçado para construir a ponte.
2. a form of punishment involving compulsory manual work, historically used in prisons
In the 19th century, criminals were often sentenced to hard labor.
No século XIX, criminosos eram frequentemente condenados a trabalho forçado.