hard up

Idioms and Phrases

In need, poor, as in Unemployment is rising and many families are hard up , or With widespread emigration, Russia is finding itself hard up for scientists and other professional people . [ Colloquial ; early 1800s]

Example Sentences

“That’s the reason we worked hard up to this point,’ he said.

From Los Angeles Times

Heywood and other capital gains tax opponents reject the notion that Washington is hard up for cash to fund public services.

From Seattle Times

And while we can't know for sure, it's likely that #2 Smith Court, hard up against the African Meeting House, was the final home Rebecca shared with Wyatt.

From Scientific American

By the way, not all the £110m will go to hard up motorists dumping their cars.

From BBC

Crawford lined one hard up the middle that just eluded the grasp of Neto and bring home Pollock and make it 5-2.

From Seattle Times