View synonyms for hard-knock

hard-knock

[ hahrd-nok ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

full of, familiar with, or arising from the experience of hardship and struggle:
Life in this hard-knock town can be brutal.
If I learned one thing from my hard-knock mother, it was that the show must always go on.

The Precious mastermind on how a hard-knock upbringing fueled his desire to make the film.

At this moment the postman's hard knock at the door nearly made him cry out aloud.

At last the goat got tired of hearing Jack bark, and thought he would give him one hard knock, and drive him away.

Thad was wondering whether any damage could have been done when that last hard knock came against the timbers of the boat.

The churches will receive many a hard knock without you adding your quota.

He was a gamey old boy, but he had had a devilish hard knock where he lived you know—Jack!

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