Phrases & SayingsPeople and character
put the hard word on
Also: give someone the hard word
Press someone firmly for agreement, money, information or a romantic response.
In a sentence
The manager put the hard word on them for an answer.
Where it came from
Australian sources document the expression in local use. Its precise history and changing context are not fully established.
- First recorded
- early 20th century
- Initial era
- 1900–1949
- Where used
- Australia-wide