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Synonyms for hard up


Grammar : Adj
Spell : hahrd
Phonetic Transcription : hɑrd



Définition of hard up

Origin :
  • Old English heard "solid, firm, not soft," also "severe, rigorous, cruel," from Proto-Germanic *hardu- (cf. Old Saxon and Dutch hard, Old Norse harðr "hard," Old High German harto "extremely, very," German hart, Gothic hardus "hard"), from PIE *kortu-, (cf. Greek kratos "strength," kratys "strong"), from root *kar-/*ker- "hard." Meaning "difficult to do" is from c.1200. The adverb sense was also present in Old English.
  • Hard of hearing preserves obsolete Middle English sense of "having difficulty in doing something." Hard liquor is 1879, American English (hard drink is from 1810; hard cider is from 1789), and this probably led to hard drugs (1955). Hard facts is from 1887; hard news is from 1938. Hard copy (as opposed to computer record) is from 1964; hard disk is from 1978. Hard up (1610s) is originally nautical, of steering (slang sense of "short of money" is from 1821), as is hard and fast (1680s), of a ship on shore. Hard times "period of poverty" is from 1705.
  • Hard money (1706) is specie, as opposed to paper. Hence 19c. U.S. hard (n.) "one who advocates the use of metallic money as the national currency" (1844). To play hard to get is from 1945. Hard rock as a pop music style recorded from 1967.
  • adj in trouble
Example sentences :
  • They was all hard up there, Mr Plornish said, uncommon hard up, to be sure.
  • Extract from : « Little Dorrit » by Charles Dickens
  • But I haven't forgotten how it felt to be hard up, and I sympathise with those who are.
  • Extract from : « One Day's Courtship » by Robert Barr
  • I hate to drive folks, especially when I know they're hard up.
  • Extract from : « Cap'n Dan's Daughter » by Joseph C. Lincoln
  • He laughed and said maybe not, but that she knew he was alive and sent him money when he was hard up.
  • Extract from : « Keziah Coffin » by Joseph C. Lincoln
  • The Parnellites are hard up, and their organ asks America for cash.
  • Extract from : « Ireland as It Is » by Robert John Buckley (AKA R.J.B.)
  • With his powerful hands he revolved it quickly until it was hard up.
  • Extract from : « Sir Henry Morgan, Buccaneer » by Cyrus Townsend Brady
  • Roland shall, meanwhile, learn the discomfort of being 'hard up.'
  • Extract from : « Roland Cashel » by Charles James Lever
  • They were to hard up with the helm and shiver the main and mizzen-topsails.
  • Extract from : « A Set of Six » by Joseph Conrad
  • Either Johns or Bunter, or both, must have been driving her hard up Channel.
  • Extract from : « Tales Of Hearsay » by Joseph Conrad
  • Besides, sometimes you're hard up for something to carry you about.
  • Extract from : « Jack Hinton » by Charles James Lever

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Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019