hard
Needing a lot of work, skill, or thinking to do.
Requiring a great deal of effort, skill, or ability to accomplish or understand.
Firm and not soft when you touch it.
Solid, firm, and resistant to pressure; not easily penetrated or bent.
Using a lot of strength or trying a lot.
With a lot of physical or mental effort, energy, or force.
Full of problems or pain; not easy to live with.
Characterized by difficult or challenging circumstances that cause distress or hardship.
Not kind; very strict or severe.
Severe, unyielding, or strict in dealing with others or enforcing rules.
- Base: hard
- Comparative: harder
- Superlative: hardest
give someone a hard time
1to tease or hassle someone persistently
To make things difficult for someone, often by teasing or criticizing them.
- The older kids gave him a hard time about his new haircut.
- Stop giving her a hard time—she's doing her best.
hard work
1work requiring much effort and time
Work that needs a lot of time and energy.
- Becoming a doctor takes years of hard work.
- Her success is the result of determination and hard work.
hit hard
1affect strongly in a negative way
To cause serious harm or trouble to someone or something.
- The storm hit the coastal town hard.
- The new tax laws hit small businesses hard.
between a rock and a hard place
1faced with two bad choices
To be in a situation where you must choose between two bad things.
- I'm between a rock and a hard place—either I quit my job or move away from my family.
- I'm between a rock and a hard place—either option will upset someone.
- She felt stuck between a rock and a hard place when deciding on the budget cuts.
- She felt stuck between a rock and a hard place when both jobs had major downsides.
play hardball
1be tough and aggressive to win
To be very firm and aggressive to get what you want, especially in business or competition.
- The company decided to play hardball in negotiations.
- The company is playing hardball in contract talks.
- If they want to play hardball, we can too.
- If you want results, you have to play hardball.