hard lines
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Expressed to someone suffering misfortune.
Register: dated, slang
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
hardship, difficulty. Soldiers’ term for hard duty on the lines in front of the enemy. LINES was formerly synonymous with Lot, see Ps. xvi. 6.—Bible version—"The LINES are fallen unto me in pleasant places;" Prayer-Book do.—"The LOT is fallen unto me in a fair ground."
Khó khăn, thử thách, ban đầu dùng cho quân đội
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “hard lines” mean?
Expressed to someone suffering misfortune.
Is “hard lines” formal or informal?
hard lines is generally dated, slang.