Hard work, so to speak (5)
I believe the answer is:
sweat
<span class="explanation-format__ClueExplanation">'<span class="explanation-format__original">hard work so to speak</span>' is the definition.<br/ ><span class="explanation-format__explanation">(I've seen this in another clue)</span><br/ ><br/ >This is the entire clue.<br/ ></span>
(Other definitions for sweat that I've seen before include "It's hard work" , "(Of argument) intense" , "Perspire" , "Male perspiration?" , "Trouble in Australia" .)