Hard-bit (or Bit of Hard), subs. (venery).—1. The penis in erection; whence (2), for women, the act of connection.
Hard-bitten, adj. (colloquial).—Resolute;
game (q.v.); desperate.
1815. Scott, Guy Mannering, liii. My sooth, they'll be hard-bitten terriers will worrie Dandie.
Hard-cheese, subs. (Royal Military
Academy).—Hard lines; bad
luck; specifically at billiards.
Hard-cole. See Hard and Cole.
Hard-doings, subs. (American).—1.
Rough fare; and (2) hard
work.
1848. Ruxton, Life in the Far West, p. 37. Hard doins when it comes to that.
Hard-drinking, subs. (old: now
recognized).—Drinking to excess.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Hard-drinking, excessive Soking, or toping aboundance.
Hard-head, subs. (American).—A
man of good parts, physical,
intellectual, or moral.
1824. R. B. Peake, Americans Abroad, i., 1. Dou. None of your flouting, by jumping jigs, I won't stand it—we Americans have got hard heads—we warn't brought up in the woods to be scart at by an owl—you can't scare me so.
1848. Durivage, Stray Subjects, p. 110. Most of the passengers had disappeared for the night, and only a knot of hard-heads were left upon deck.
Hard-hit. To be hard hit, verb
phr. (colloquial).—1. To have
experienced a heavy loss; as over
a race, at cards, etc.
2. (colloquial).—To be deeply in love; completely gone on (q.v.).
1888. J. McCarthy and Mrs. Campbell-Praed, Ladies' Gallery, ch. xxv. The wound was keen, I had been hit hard.
1891. M. E. Braddon, Gerard, p. 312. You've been hard hit.
Hard-lines, subs. (colloquial).—Hardship;
difficulty; an unfortunate
result or occurrence.
[Formerly line = lot: Cf., Bible
and Prayer book version of Psalm
xvi., 5, 6.]
1855. Notes and Queries, 1 S. xii., p. 287. Hard Lines. Whence is this expression, so common, particularly among seafaring men, derived?
1881. W. Black, Beautiful Wretch, ch. xxiii. I think it's deuced hard lines to lock up a fellow for merely humbugging an old parson up in Kentish Town.
1888. Sporting Life, 15 Dec. For the Kempton folks it was rather hard lines.
1888. J. McCarthy and Mrs. Campbell-Praed, Ladies' Gallery, ch. xxvi. It's awful hard lines, Lady Star Strange, that I am only thought good enough for you Londoners in the dead season.
1892. Milliken, 'Arry Ballads, p. 3. I call it 'ard lines, dear old man.
Hard-mouthed, adj. (colloquial).—Difficult
to deal with; wilful;
obstinate. Also coarse in speech.
[From the stable.]
1686. Durfey, Commonw. of Wordes, i., 1. [Speaking of a girl.] I hate your young Wechees, Skitish Colts—they are so hard mouth'd, there's no dealing with em.
1704. Swift, Tale of a Tub, Sect. ix. I myself, the author of these momentous truths, am a person, whose imaginations are hard-mouthed, and exceedingly disposed to run away with his reason.
1704. Swift, Operation of the Spirit, Sect. ii., par. 9. The flesh . . . when it comes to the turn of being bearer, is wonderfully headstrong and hard-mouthed.
Hard-neck, subs. (tailors'),—Brazen
impudence, monumental
cheek (q.v.).
