hard-handed
Americanadjective
-
oppressive or tyrannical; stern or cruel.
-
having hands hardened by toil.
Other Word Forms
- hard-handedness noun
- hardhandedness noun
Etymology
Origin of hard-handed
First recorded in 1580–90
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This is definitely the right way for the hard-handed Yorkshireman to play the spinner.
From The Guardian • Dec. 29, 2015
This is definitely the right way for the hard-handed Yorkshireman to play the spinner.
From The Guardian • Dec. 29, 2015
They were out for 60 only partly due to the moving ball; it was mainly due to their testosterone-fuelled, front-foot, hard-handed attack frenzy.
From The Guardian • Aug. 7, 2015
In his 18 months as CABoss, Jim Landis had been as hard-handed on the big airlines as he was hardheaded to some of his associates.
From Time Magazine Archive
She could have left it at that: the fold under the earlobe, but that Violet, unsatisfied, fought with the hard-handed usher boys and was time enough for them, almost.
From "Jazz" by Toni Morrison
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
