Hard | Mean of hard in English Dictionary

/ˈhɑɚd/

• very firm or solid
1. hard ground
2. a hard bench/floor/shell
3. hard cheese/rubber
4. This bread is (as) hard as a rock. [=very hard]
• physically or mentally difficult
1. That test was hard.
2. a hard task
3. hard work
4. She was asked a lot of hard questions.
5. We're going to have to make some hard choices/decisions.
6. It's hard to solve this problem. = This is a hard problem (to solve). = This problem is hard (to solve).
7. He's a hard guy to figure out. = He's a guy who's hard to figure out. = It's hard to figure that guy out.
8. It was very hard to find a replacement for her.
9. Their story is hard to believe.
10. It's hard not to worry about her.
11. It's hard to tell/know what she's thinking.
12. He was sentenced to five years of hard labor. [=time in prison spent in intense physical labor]
• difficult to experience
1. He has learned a hard lesson.
2. It's been a hard winter. [=a very cold winter with harsh weather]
3. She has had a very hard life. = Life has been very hard for her.
4. I had a hard [=tough] day at the office.
5. We've been having some hard [=poor, bad] luck.
6. She's stuck with them through all the hard times.
7. The region has been experiencing some economic hard times.
8. After years of success, their business has fallen on hard times.

• having a harmful or destructive effect
1. His health has suffered from years of hard living.
2. This old bicycle has obviously gotten some hard use.
• working or doing something with a lot of energy
1. She's a hard [=diligent, energetic] worker.
• very forceful
1. The plane made a hard [=jarring] landing.
2. He hit a hard line drive past the shortstop.
3. A hard rain was falling.
4. He was knocked out by a hard right to the jaw.
5. hard acceleration
6. hard braking
7. a hard left turn
• done with a lot of careful thought and attention
1. The jeweler gave the gem a long hard look. [=the jeweler looked at the gem very closely and carefully]
2. Investors are taking a very hard look at how the company does business.
• able to be clearly seen and measured
1. Those are the (cold) hard facts of the case.
2. She is still collecting hard data on the software's performance.
3. It's an interesting theory, but there is no hard evidence that supports it.
• not seeming to care about other people or to feel kindness or affection
1. He's a hard man.
2. a hard taskmaster
3. She has an extremely hard [=unfeeling] heart.
4. He's as hard as nails. [=he's very hard or tough]
• not gentle or friendly
1. hard [=harsh] words
• holding extreme political views
1. a member of the hard [=far, extreme] right/left
• relating to serious matters
1. They only report hard news.
• containing a large amount of alcohol
1. hard liquor
2. the hard stuff
• containing alcohol
1. hard cider/lemonade
• powerful and extremely harmful to the health
1. cocaine and other hard drugs
• containing many minerals and therefore unable to make bubbles with soap
1. hard water
• having clear, sharp lines
1. trying to soften the hard edges of the image
• very bright and unpleasant
1. hard lighting
2. the cold, hard light of day
• sounding like the “c” in “cold” or the “g” in “geese”
1. The “g” in “gorilla” is hard, but the “g” in “giant” is soft.
2. the hard “c” in “cat”
• physically strong
1. hard [=muscular] bodies
• to criticize or annoy someone
1. They gave him a hard time about quitting the team.
• not able to hear well
1. He has become a little hard of hearing in his old age.
• causing damage or strain to (something)
1. Reading in dim light is hard on your eyes. [=it puts a strain on your eyes; it is not good for them]
2. This kind of work can be hard on your back.
• causing stress or worry to (someone)
1. These past few months have been hard on everyone, but things should get better soon.
• treating or judging (someone) in a harsh or critical way
1. Don't be too hard on the boy. [=don't judge or treat the boy too harshly]
2. She is sometimes too hard on herself.
3. There's no need to be so hard on yourself—you did the best you could.
• lacking money
1. We're pretty hard up these days.
• having not enough of something
1. She always seems to be hard up for cash.
2. He's hard up for friends. [=he has few friends]
• in a way that involves difficult or painful experiences
1. He found out the hard way that crime doesn't pay. [=he found out by being punished for his crimes]
2. She insisted on doing things the hard way.
• with a lot of effort or energy
1. You have to work hard in order to succeed.
2. I know how hard she tried.
3. She ran as hard as she could.
4. working/studying/fighting hard
5. We've thought long and hard about this problem.
6. You shouldn't disturb her while she's hard at work.
7. We're hard at work on the new project.
• in a very forceful way
1. He hit the ball hard.
2. a hard-hit ball
3. The ball hit him hard on the wrist.
4. He pressed his nose hard against the window.
5. swallowing hard
6. She pushed hard against the door, but it wouldn't open.
7. The wind was blowing hard.
8. The snow/rain came down hard.
9. The dog bit down hard on the thief's hand.
10. She was breathing hard.
11. laughing/crying hard
12. His business was hit hard by the recession.
13. Her sudden death hit them hard.
14. She took it hard [=she was very upset] when he left.
15. We took the defeat hard.
• in a very direct and intense way
1. He looked hard into her eyes.
• in an extreme or complete way
1. He fell hard for the girl next door.
• next to
1. The school stood hard by a church.
• treated harshly or unfairly
1. He felt very hard done by when he was laid off after many years of faithful service.