hard-set

[ hahrd-set ]

adjective

1. firmly or rigidly set; fixed:

   a hard-set smile.

2. in a difficult position:

   The troops were hard-set before their supplies came.

3. determined; obstinate.

Word History and Origins

Origin of hard-set¹

1400–50; late Middle English harde set

Example Sentences

Several store owners said they’re worried Little Saigon is morphing into a new “Third and Pine” — by which they mean a chronic drug abuse zone, with hard-set patterns of drug-dealing, shoplifting and human despair.

From Seattle Times

“If a guy is responding really, really well, we owe it to them and to ourselves to respond with them. And if he’s not, then maybe we have to pull back. But I know there’s not hard-set numbers on any of them.”

From Washington Post

His mouth was hard-set, the skin between his brows pinched hard.

From Literature

Koffi’s mouth formed a hard-set line.

From Literature

There was a surprising touch of sympathy in her voice that contradicted her stern, dark eyes and hard-set mouth.

From Literature