hard case

¹ American  

noun

1. a rough, hard-bitten person.

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hard-case ² American  

[hahrd-keys] / ˈhɑrdˌkeɪs /

adjective

1. rough and hard-bitten.

   hard-case juvenile delinquents.

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Etymology

Origin of hard case¹

An Americanism dating back to 1830–40

Origin of hard-case²

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

This is usually gratifying work, but in “Vigil” she encounters a hard case: the oil baron K.J.

From The Wall Street Journal

Kieron Moore’s Slovacek is the hard case who is in the Corps to avoid prison.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Don’t take all the blame on yourself, she’s a very difficult person, a very hard case.”

From Los Angeles Times

“This is not a hard case, it does not require the amount of delay that we’ve had. The case is pretty simple… a guy stole some documents, he hid them, when the government came and looked for them, he lied and hid them,” he continued.

From Salon

The chief judge of the 5th Circuit, Priscilla Richman, wrote the majority opinion and basically just quoted big chunks of the Supreme Court’s 2012 decision to show that this is not a hard case.

From Slate