hard put

adjective

1. not easily dented, pierced, cut, or crushed; resistant to pressure; firm and unyielding to the touch; rigid; solid and compact
2. having firm muscles; in good bodily trim; vigorous and robust
3. showing, or done with, great force or strength; powerful; violent; vigorous: a hard blow
4. demanding great physical or mental effort or labor; fatiguing; difficult; specif.,
   1. difficult to do: hard work
   2. difficult to understand, explain, or answer: a hard question
   3. difficult to deal with; not easily managed or controlled: a man hard to live with
   4. firmly fastened or tied: a hard knot
5. 1. not easily moved; unfeeling; callous: a hard heart
   2. unfriendly; hostile: hard feelings
6. practical and shrewd or calculating: a hard customer
7. 1. firm or definite, esp. in an aggressive way: a hard line in foreign policy
   2. undeniable, reliable, or actual: hard facts
   3. consisting of the basic facts about major events, as opposed to presenting feature stories, opinion, etc.: hard news
8. causing pain or discomfort; specif.,
   1. difficult to endure; trying; exhausting: a hard life
   2. harsh; severe; stern: a hard master, hard words
9. very cold, stormy, etc.; inclement: a hard winter
10. 1. harsh, stiff, and wiry: said of fibers or cotton
    2. having no nap: said of a finish for fabric
    3. having a texture that is firm, dense, wiry, etc.: a dog with a hard coat
11. 1. clearly defined or having sharp contrast; distinct: hard outlines
    2. too clear, bright, or penetrating to be pleasant: a hard light
12. having in solution mineral salts that interfere with the lathering and cleansing properties of soap, corrode metals, etc.: said of water
13. energetic and persistent; steady and earnest: a hard worker
14. 1. fermented; alcoholic: hard cider
    2. containing a relatively high percentage of alcohol; strong: hard liquor
15. : said of money
    1. of metal, not paper
    2. of currency or coin, not credit
16. : said of certain currencies
    1. that can be exchanged for gold or silver
    2. that is readily accepted as foreign exchange
17. Phonet.: not used in these ways as a technical term by phoneticians
    1. designating c sounded as in can or g sounded as in gun: a hard g
    2. voiceless, as the sound of s in sin
    3. not palatalized: said as of certain consonants in Slavic languages
18. Agric. high in gluten content: hard wheat
19. Chem. not easily biodegradable: said of detergents and pesticides
20. Commerce high and stable: said of a market, prices, etc.
21. Mil. heavily fortified: said as of an underground installation: a hard base
22. Radiology of high penetrating power: said of X-rays

Origin: ME < OE heard, akin to Ger hart < IE base *kar-, hard > Gr karyon, nut, kratos, strength

adverb

1. energetically and persistently; steadily and earnestly: work hard
2. with strength, violence, or severity: hit hard
3. with difficulty: often used in hyphenated compounds: hard-earned, hard-sought
4. so as to withstand much wear, use, etc.: hard-wearing clothes
5. deeply; fully; soundly: sleep hard
6. firmly; tightly: hold on hard
7. close; near: we live hard by the woods
8. so as to be or make firm, solid, or rigid: to freeze hard
9. with vigor and to the fullest extent: used esp. in indicating direction: hard alee! turn hard right