hard-boiled

American  

[hahrd-boild] / ˈhɑrdˈbɔɪld /

adjective

1. Cooking. (of an egg) boiled in the shell long enough for the yolk and white to solidify.

2. Informal. tough; unsentimental.

   a hard-boiled vice-squad detective.

3. marked by a direct, clear-headed approach; realistic.

   a hard-boiled appraisal of the foreign situation.

4. (of detective fiction) written in a laconic, dispassionate, often ironic style for a realistic, unsentimental effect.

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hard-boiled British  

adjective

1. (of an egg) boiled until the yolk and white are solid

2. informal

   1. tough, realistic

   2. cynical

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Other Word Forms

• hard-boiledness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of hard-boiled

1715–25; 1895–80 hard-boiled for def. 2; hard + boiled

Example Sentences

Hard-boiled eggs — colored or not — will last for about a week in the refrigerator.

From Salon • Apr. 14, 2022

Hard-boiled eggs form another favourite dish in the land of Cho-sen, and turnips, potatoes, and a large radish similar to the daikon of Japan, are also partaken of at Corean dinners.

From Corea or Cho-sen The Land of the Morning Calm by Landor, Arnold Henry Savage

Hard-boiled eggs may be cut into slices and added, and sliced apples or pieces of orange may be advantageously mixed with the other ingredients.

From Dr. Allinson's cookery book Comprising many valuable vegetarian recipes by Allinson, T. R. (Thomas Richard)

Hard-boiled eggs, split in four pieces, lengthwise, may be placed around the dish, if the sorrel is served as an entremets.

From Hand-Book of Practical Cookery for Ladies and Professional Cooks by Blot, Pierre

Hard-boiled eggs, chopped fine, and seasoned with anchovy paste.

From The Myrtle Reed Cook Book by Reed, Myrtle

Related Words

• hard-nosed