hard′-and-fast′

adj.

strongly binding; not to be set aside or violated: hard-and-fast rules.

[1865–70]

hard′-and-fast′ness, n.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Adj.

hard-and-fast - (of rules) stringently enforced; "hard-and-fast rules"

invariable - not liable to or capable of change; "an invariable temperature"; "an invariable rule"; "his invariable courtesy"

Translations

hard-and-fast

[ˈhɑːdənˈfɑːst] ADJ [rule] → rígido; [decision] → definitivo, irrevocable

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

hard-and-fast

[ˌhɑːdənˈfɑːst] adj → ferreo/a

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

hard

(haːd) adjective

1. firm; solid; not easy to break, scratch etc. The ground is too hard to dig.

2. not easy to do, learn, solve etc. Is English a hard language to learn?; He is a hard man to please.

3. not feeling or showing kindness. a hard master.

4. (of weather) severe. a hard winter.

5. having or causing suffering. a hard life; hard times.

6. (of water) containing many chemical salts and so not easily forming bubbles when soap is added. The water is hard in this part of the country.

adverb

1. with great effort. He works very hard; Think hard.

2. with great force; heavily. Don't hit him too hard; It was raining hard.

3. with great attention. He stared hard at the man.

4. to the full extent; completely. The car turned hard right.

ˈharden verb

to make or become hard. Don't touch the toffee till it hardens; Try not to harden your heart against him.

ˈhardness noun

ˈhardship noun

(something which causes) pain, suffering etc. a life full of hardship.

ˈhard-and-fast adjective

(of rules) that can never be changed or ignored.

ˈhard-back noun

a book with a hard cover. Hard-backs are more expensive than paperbacks.

ˌhard-ˈboiled adjective

(of eggs) boiled until the white and the yolk are solid.

hardˈdisk noun

a device that is fixed inside a computer and is used for storing information.

ˈhard-earned adjective

earned by hard work or with difficulty. I deserve every penny of my hard-earned wages.

ˌhard-ˈheaded adjective

practical; shrewd; not influenced by emotion. a hard-headed businessman.

ˌhard-ˈhearted adjective

not feeling or showing pity or kindness. a hard-hearted employer.

ˈhardware noun

1. metal goods such as pots, tools etc. This shop sells hardware.

2. the mechanical parts of a computer.

ˌhard-ˈwearing adjective

that will not wear out easily. a hard-wearing fabric.

be hard on

1. to punish or criticize severely. Don't be too hard on the boy – he's too young to know that he was doing wrong.

2. to be unfair to. If you punish all the children for the broken window it's a bit hard on those who had nothing to do with it.

hard at it

busy doing (something). I've been hard at it all day, trying to get this report finished.

hard done by

unfairly treated. You should complain to the headmaster if you feel hard done by.

hard lines/luck

bad luck. Hard lines/luck! I'm afraid you haven't won this time; It's hard luck that he broke his leg.

hard of hearing

rather deaf. He is a bit hard of hearing now.

a hard time (of it)

trouble, difficulty, worry etc. The audience gave the speaker a hard time of it at the meeting; The speaker had a hard time (of it) trying to make himself heard.

hard up

not having much especially money. I'm a bit hard up at the moment; I'm hard up for envelopes.