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hard

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adjective British English pronunciation: hard /hɑː(r)d/ 
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adjectivehard
comparativeharder
superlativehardest
 
  1. 1
    stiff, firm, and not easy to bend or break

    hard wooden benches

    The plastic was chosen because it is very hard and durable.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  hardThesaurus entry for this meaning of hard
  2. 2
    difficult to do

    Some of the questions were very hard.

    find something hard:

    I found the English exam quite hard.

    hard for someone to do something:

    It is hard for young people to get jobs in this area.

    hard to do something:

    It’s hard to explain why I love this place so much.

    hard to believe:

    I find it hard to believe that we’re leaving England for good.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  hardThesaurus entry for this meaning of hard
    1. a.
      involving a lot of effort

      Lifting stones this size is pretty hard work.

      I need to relax at the end of a hard day.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  hardThesaurus entry for this meaning of hard
  3. 3
    unpleasant and full of problems

    My grandmother had a very hard life.

    The family has had a hard time recently.

    hard on:

    It’s very hard on parents when their children are being bullied at school.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  hardThesaurus entry for this meaning of hard
  4. 4
    strong and not easily frightened

    He likes to pretend he’s hard, but he’s really soft underneath.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  hardThesaurus entry for this meaning of hard
  5. 5
    unkind, or cruel

    She was deeply hurt by his hard words.

    hard on:

    Don’t be too hard on her – she was only trying to help.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  hardThesaurus entry for this meaning of hard
  6. 6
    using a lot of physical force

    He gave the door a hard shove, and it opened.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  hardThesaurus entry for this meaning of hard
  9. 9
    [only before noun] hard facts are certain and can be proved

    We need some hard evidence to support our claim.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  hardThesaurus entry for this meaning of hard

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This is the British English definition of hard. View American English definition of hard.

Change your default dictionary and thesaurus to American English.

 

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