adverb
1. : in a manner difficult to bear or accomplish : rigorously , laboriously
had come up the hard way, through modeling, the chorus line, dramatic school, little theaters and bit parts in screen and TV shows — Fergus McGill
2. : by throwing a doublet in craps (as when the point is 4, 6, 8, or 10 and is made respectively by 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, or 5-5)
to make 8 the hard way — C.B.Davis