hold hard
To stubbornly resist assault, pressure or opposition, either physically or mentally.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“The team must hold hard against the pressure to win.”
“You must hold hard against your fear when you speak in public.”
“The soldiers hold hard against the enemy attack to protect the city.”
“Even when the market crashed, the small business owners decided to hold hard and keep their doors open.”
“The protesters decided to hold hard at the entrance of the park, refusing to move even when the security guards told them to leave.”
“During the long meeting, she had to hold hard to her budget plan because her colleagues wanted to spend more money than they had.”
“Despite the relentless criticism from his peers, the researcher chose to hold hard to his original hypothesis until the final data proved him correct.”
From *hold*, in the sense of maintaining a position, and *hard*, meaning resolutely or steadfastly. The phrase originated as a command used in riding or driving horses to signal an immediate and firm halt, subsequently passing into general usage.
- 01
apron-string hold
An estate held by a man during his wife's life.
- 02
bone hard
As hard as a bone, rock hard.
- 03
buy and hold
A passive investment strategy where an investor purchases an asset and retains it for many years, rather than trading it frequently.
- 04
cold hard cash
Money, regarded as an incentive that can override any doubts or ethical concerns.
- 05
die hard
Of a living being, to die only after a desperate struggle for life.
- 06
don't hold your breath
Don't wait. Said cynically to suggest that what has just been mentioned is unlikely to happen soon or at all.
- 07
drive a hard bargain
To negotiate forcefully.
- 08
give someone a hard time
To cause difficulty or make trouble for someone.
Last updated August 10, 2026