hard

Syllabification: (hard)

Pronunciation: /härd/

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Definition of hard

adjective

1solid, firm, and resistant to pressure; not easily broken, bent, or pierced:a hard mattress ground frozen hard as a rock
(of a person) not showing any signs of weakness; tough:the hard, tough, honest cop
(of information) reliable, especially because based on something true or substantiated:hard facts about the underclass are maddeningly elusive
(of a subject of study) dealing with precise and verifiable facts:efforts to turn psychology into hard science
(of water) containing mineral salts that make lathering difficult.
(of prices of stock, commodities, etc.) stable or firm in value.
(of science fiction) scientifically accurate rather than purely fantastic or whimsical:a hard SF novel
(of a consonant) pronounced as c in cat or g in go.

2requiring a great deal of endurance or effort:stooping over all day was hard work
putting a lot of energy into an activity:he’d been a hard worker all his life
difficult to bear; causing suffering:times were hard at the end of the war he’d had a hard life
difficult to understand or solve:this is a really hard question [with infinitive]:she found it hard to believe that he could be involved
not showing sympathy or affection; strict:my father is no longer the hard man he once was
(of a season or the weather) severe:it’s been a long, hard winter
harsh or unpleasant to the senses:the hard light of morning
(of wine) harsh or sharp to the taste, especially because of tannin.

3done with a great deal of force or strength:a hard blow to the head

4potent, powerful, or intense, in particular.
(of liquor) strongly alcoholic; denoting distilled spirits rather than beer or wine.
(of apple cider) having alcoholic content from fermentation.
(of a drug) potent and addictive.
denoting an extreme or dogmatic faction within a political party:the hard left
(of radiation) highly penetrating.
(of pornography) highly obscene and explicit.

adverb

1with a great deal of effort:they work hard at school
with a great deal of force; violently:it was raining hard

2so as to be solid or firm:the mortar has set hard

3to the fullest extent possible:put the wheel hard over to starboard

Phrases

be hard on
be hard put: [usually with infinitive] find it very difficult:you’ll be hard put to find a better compromise
give someone a hard time: informal deliberately make a situation difficult for someone.
go hard with: dated turn out to (someone’s) disadvantage:it would go hard with the poor
hard and fast: (of a rule or a distinction made) fixed and definitive:it is impossible to lay down any hard and fast rules
hard as nails: see nail.
hard at it: informal busily working or occupied:they were hard at it with brooms and mops
hard by: close to:he lived hard by the cathedral
hard done by: British harshly or unfairly treated:she would be justified in feeling hard done by
hard feelings: [usually with negative] feelings of resentment:there are no hard feelings, and we wish him well
hard going: difficult to understand or enjoy:the studying is at times hard going
hard hit: badly affected:hard hit by falling oil prices
a hard nut to crack: see nut.
hard of hearing: not able to hear well.
hard on (or upon): close to; following soon after:we followed hard on their tracks
hard up: informal short of money:I’m too hard up to buy fancy clothes
the hard way: through suffering or learning from the unpleasant consequences of mistakes:his reputation was earned the hard way
play hard to get: informal deliberately adopt an aloof or uninterested attitude, typically in order to make oneself more attractive or interesting.

Derivatives

hardish

Origin:

Old English hard, heard, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch hard and German hart

hard in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of hard in the British & World English dictionary

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Other

hard

adjective

adverb

Phrases

be hard on

be hard put

give someone a hard time

go hard with

hard and fast

hard as nails

hard at it

hard by

hard done by

hard feelings

hard going

hard hit

a hard nut to crack

hard of hearing

hard on (or upon)

hard up

the hard way

play hard to get

Derivatives

hardish

Origin:

hard in other Oxford dictionaries

Nearby words

More results for hard

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