The team must hold hard against the pressure to win.
hold hard
idiomTo stubbornly resist assault, pressure or opposition, either physically or mentally.
Origin
disputed originA verbal phrase composed of the words: hold ("grasp", "grip") and hard ("resistantly", "resolutely", "solidly", "steadfastly").
Even when the market crashed, the small business owners decided to hold hard and keep their doors open.
Despite the relentless criticism from his peers, the researcher chose to hold hard to his original hypothesis until the final data proved him correct.
- 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 April 17, 2026