hard

[[t]hɑrd[/t]]

adj. and adv. -er, -est.

1) not soft; solid and firm to the touch

2) firmly formed; tight:

a hard knot[/ex]

3) difficult to do or accomplish; fatiguing; troublesome:

a hard task[/ex]

4) difficult or troublesome with respect to an action, situation, person, etc.:

hard to please[/ex]

5) difficult to deal with, manage, control, overcome, or understand:

a hard problem[/ex]

6) involving a great deal of effort, energy, or persistence:

hard labor[/ex]

7) performing or carrying on work with great effort, energy, or persistence:

a hard worker[/ex]

8) vigorous or violent in force; severe:

a hard fall[/ex]

9) bad; unendurable; unbearable:

hard luck[/ex]

10) oppressive; harsh; rough:

hard treatment[/ex]

11) austere; severe:

a hard winter[/ex]

12) harsh or severe in dealing with others:

a hard master[/ex]

13) difficult to explain away; undeniable:

hard facts[/ex]

14) cvb factual, as distinguished from speculation or hearsay:

hard information[/ex]

15) harsh or unfriendly; resentful; bitter:

hard feelings[/ex]

16) of stern judgment or close examination; searching:

We took a hard look at our finances[/ex]

17) lacking delicacy or softness; clear and distinct; sharp; harsh:

a hard line; hard features[/ex]

18) severe or rigorous in terms:

a hard bargain[/ex]

19) sternly realistic; dispassionate; unsentimental:

a hard view of life[/ex]

20) incorrigible; disreputable; tough:

a hard character[/ex]

21) phl (of the penis) erect

22) chem. (of water) containing mineral salts that interfere with the action of soap

23) ecn in coins or paper money as distinguished from checks, promissory notes, or the like:

hard cash[/ex]

24) bus (of paper money) backed by gold reserves and readily convertible into foreign currency

25) bus (of assets) having intrinsic value, as gold or diamonds

26) vin (of alcoholic beverages)

a) containing more than 22.5 percent alcohol by volume, as whiskey and brandy as opposed to beer and wine

b) strong because of fermentation; intoxicating:

hard cider[/ex]

27) vin (of wine) tasting excessively of tannin

28) pha (of an illicit narcotic or drug) known to be physically addictive, as opium, morphine, or cocaine

29) tex (of a fabric) having relatively little nap; smooth

30) rkt (of the landing of a space vehicle) executed without decelerating

31) mil (of a missile) capable of being launched from an underground silo

32) mil (of a military installation) heavily reinforced

33) agr. coo (of wheat) having a high gluten content

34) phn

a) (of c and g) pronounced as (k) in come and (g) in

go[/ex]

b) (of consonants) fortis

c) (of consonants in Slavic languages) not palatalized

Compare soft 19)

35) with great exertion; with vigor or violence; strenuously:

to work hard[/ex]

36) earnestly, intently, or critically:

to look hard at a decision[/ex]

37) harshly or severely

38) so as to be solid, tight, or firm:

frozen hard[/ex]

39) with strong force or impact:

to be hit hard[/ex]

40) in a deeply affected manner; with genuine sorrow or remorse:

He took the news very hard[/ex]

41) closely; immediately:

Defeat seemed hard at hand[/ex]

42) to an unreasonable or extreme degree; excessively; immoderately

43) naut. navig. Naut. closely, fully, or to the extreme limit:

hard aport[/ex]

•

- be hard on hard by hard put hard up

Etymology: bef. 900; ME; OE heard, c. OS hard, OHG hart, ON harthr, Go hardus; akin to Gk kratýs strong, Ionic dial. kártos strength (cf. -cracy)