hard

Everyday

1. Hard means firm and not soft, like a rock or a nut. tree →
2. Hard means difficult, not easy: a hard question. tree →
3. Hard as an adverb means with a lot of effort or force: work hard, push hard. tree →
4. Hard can also mean strict or unkind: be hard on someone. tree →

In the lessons

In maths: describes a task or a thing; hard and easy questions may be counted apart and added to the total. In science: diamonds are the hardest natural material; hard and soft materials. In life: hard work, a hard day, try hard. Phrases: work hard, try hard, hard work, hard to, hard-boiled egg, hard of hearing, hard drive.

Examples

• The test had 10 easy and 5 hard questions. tree →
• He worked hard for 3 hours. tree →
• Hard candies cost 10 cents each. tree →
• The hardest puzzle has 500 pieces. tree →
• The ground was hard after the frost. tree →
• It is hard to wake up early in winter. tree →
• She tried hard and finished the race. tree →
• Diamond is very hard and can cut glass. tree →
• It rained hard all night. tree →

Note

Opposite: soft (firm) or easy (difficult). Trap: «hardly» does not mean «in a hard way»; it means «almost not» (I could hardly see). A describing word; no clue to the operation. It may split items into groups.

In Jewish tradition

The word also means painful or heavy. The psalmist says God's wrath lies hard on him, and Ezekiel is made as hard-faced as the stubborn people. Jeremiah repeats that nothing is too hard for God.

Interpretation. In "Is any thing too hard for the LORD?", tradition stresses that nothing is beyond God's power. The "hard bondage" in Egypt is remembered every year at Passover, and "not too hard" says the Torah is within reach. Ezekiel's hard forehead is read as God giving the prophet strength to face a stubborn people.

Examples

• Is any thing too hard for the LORD. (Torah GEN.18.14, JPS 1917) tree →
• And the Egyptians dealt ill with us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage. (Torah DEU.26.6, JPS 1917) tree →
• For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not too hard for thee, neither is it far off. (Torah DEU.30.11, JPS 1917) tree →
• Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and all Thy waves Thou pressest down. (Writings PSA.88.8, JPS 1917) tree →
• Behold, I have made thy face hard against their faces, and thy forehead hard against their foreheads. (Prophets EZK.3.8, JPS 1917) tree →
• 'Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh; is there any thing too hard for Me? (Prophets JER.32.27, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Opposite: soft (firm) or easy (difficult). Trap: «hardly» does not mean «in a hard way»; it means «almost not» (I could hardly see). A describing word; no clue to the operation. It may split items into groups.