The term 'break one's back, so to speak' is a phrase used to describe hard work or labor. It is often used to describe a situation where someone has worked very hard and put in a lot of effort. The crossword solution for this phrase is TOIL, which is defined as hard work or labor. Therefore, the phrase 'break one's back, so to speak' can be summed up as a situation where someone has worked hard and put in a lot of effort, or toiled.