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hard

adj. · adv. · n.
US //ˈhɑɹd// UK //hˈɑːd// hard
  1. 1 solid and firm (adj.)
    A1 Beginner

    not soft; something that stays firm when you press it.

    physically firm, rigid, or resistant to pressure; not easily penetrated or out of shape.

    Example

    The ground was too hard to dig because it had not rained for weeks.

    Example

    The diamond is the hardest known natural material, capable of scratching any other mineral surface without sustaining damage itself.
  2. 2 difficult (adj.)
    A1 Beginner

    needing a lot of effort or thought to do or understand.

    requiring great physical or mental effort; challenging to accomplish or comprehend.

    Example

    I found the last question on the math test really hard.

    Example

    The committee faced a hard decision regarding the budget cuts, as every option involved significant job losses.
    Pitfall
    This is a very hardly exam.
    This is a very hard exam.

    Use 'hard' as an adjective. 'Hardly' is an adverb that means 'almost not'.

Show 6 more sensesShow fewer
  1. 3 strict or severe (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    showing no kindness or being very strict.

    showing lack of sympathy; severe, stern, or demanding in nature.

    Example

    Our new coach is very hard on us during practice.

    Example

    Life in the mining town was hard, and the residents developed a resilient character to cope with the daily struggles.
  2. 4 proven or factual (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Academic

    based on facts that can be proven, not just ideas.

    referring to data or evidence that is definite, reliable, and verifiable.

    Example

    The police are looking for hard evidence to link him to the crime.

    Example

    Economists prefer hard data over anecdotal reports when forecasting the quarterly growth of the national economy.
  3. 5 physical version (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate Computing

    a physical object rather than a digital one on a computer.

    existing in a physical or printed form as opposed to electronic or digital media.

    Example

    I still prefer reading a hard copy of a book rather than using a tablet.

    Example

    The archive maintains hard copies of all legal documents in a climate-controlled vault to ensure long-term preservation.
  4. 6 tough or cool (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Slang

    acting tough, strong, or impressive in a cool way.

    demonstrating a tough, formidable, or impressive persona; often used to describe music or fashion.

    Example

    That new track they released is so hard.

    Example

    He tried to act hard in front of his friends, but everyone knew he was actually quite sensitive.
  5. 7 with great effort (adv.)
    A1 Beginner

    using a lot of energy, strength, or focus.

    with a great deal of effort, force, or intensity.

    Example

    If you work hard, you will eventually reach your goals.

    Example

    The rain hit the roof so hard that we could barely hear each other speaking during the storm.

    Usage

    The adverb 'hard' follows the verb it describes.
  6. 8 boat ramp (n.)
    C2 Proficiency British English Technical Nautical

    a solid path or slope used for pulling boats out of the water.

    a firm, man-made slope or area of ground used for landing or hauling up boats.

    Example

    We hauled the dinghy up onto the hard to clean the hull.

    Example

    The yacht club recently renovated the concrete hard to accommodate larger vessels during the winter maintenance season.
Etymology 1

From Middle English hard, from Old English heard, from Proto-West Germanic hard(ī), from Proto-Germanic harduz, from Proto-Indo-European kort-ús, from kret- (“strong, powerful”). Cognates Cognate with Yola hard (“hard”), West Frisian hurd (“hard”), Alemannic German hert (“hard”), Bavarian hoat (“hard”), Central Franconian haat (“hard”), Dutch hard (“hard”), German hart (“hard”), Luxembourgish haart (“hard”), Danish, Swedish hård (“hard”), Faroese, Icelandic harður (“hard”), Norwegian Bokmål hard (“hard”), Norwegian Nynorsk hard, hard’u (“hard”), Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐍂𐌳𐌿𐍃 (hardus, “hard”), Ancient Greek κρατύς (kratús, “strong, mighty”), Sanskrit क्रतु (krátu, “power, might, ability”), Avestan 𐬑𐬭𐬀𐬙𐬎 (xratu).

Etymology 2

From Middle English harden, herden, from Old English heardian (“to become hard”) and hierdan (“to make hard”), from Proto-West Germanic hardēn and hardijan, from Proto-Germanic *hardijaną. Cognates Cognate with Dutch harden (“to harden”), German härten (“to harden”), Danish hærde (“to harden; to temper”), Icelandic herða (“to harden”), Norwegian Bokmål herde (“to harden; to toughen”), Norwegian Nynorsk herda (“to make hard, temper; harden”), Swedish härda (“harden, temper”), Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌷𐌰𐍂𐌳𐌾𐌰𐌽 (gahardjan), 𐌷𐌰𐍂𐌳𐌾𐌰𐌽 (hardjan, “to harden”).

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