hard

not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure

• “a difficult task”
• “nesting places on the cliffs are difficult of access”
• “difficult times”
• “a difficult child”
• “found himself in a difficult situation”
• “why is it so hard for you to keep a secret?”

metaphorically hard

• “a hard fate”
• “took a hard look”
• “a hard bargainer”
• “a hard climb”

not yielding to pressure or easily penetrated

• “hard as rock”

very strong or vigorous

• “strong winds”
• “a hard left to the chin”
• “a knockout punch”
• “a severe blow”

characterized by toilsome effort to the point of exhaustion; especially physical effort

• “worked their arduous way up the mining valley”
• “a grueling campaign”
• “hard labor”
• “heavy work”
• “heavy going”
• “spent many laborious hours on the project”
• “set a punishing pace”

of speech sounds

of a drinker or drinking; indulging intemperately

• “does a lot of hard drinking”
• “a heavy drinker”

having undergone fermentation

• “hard cider”

having a high alcoholic content

• “hard liquor”

unfortunate or hard to bear

• “had hard luck”
• “a tough break”

dried out

• “hard dry rolls left over from the day before”

with effort or force or vigor

• “the team played hard”
• “worked hard all day”
• “pressed hard on the lever”
• “hit the ball hard”
• “slammed the door hard”

with firmness

• “held hard to the railing”

earnestly or intently

• “thought hard about it”
• “stared hard at the accused”

causing great damage or hardship

• “industries hit hard by the depression”
• “she was severely affected by the bank”

slowly and with difficulty

• “prejudices die hard”

indulging excessively

• “he drank heavily”

into a solid condition

• “concrete that sets hard within a few hours”

very near or close in space or time

• “it stands hard by the railroad tracks”
• “they were hard on his heels”
• “a strike followed hard upon the plant”

with pain or distress or bitterness

• “he took the rejection very hard”

to the full extent possible; all the way

• “hard alee”
• “the ship went hard astern”
• “swung the wheel hard left”