hard lines

noun

Chiefly British Slang.

1. bad luck; bad breaks (often used as an interjection).

hard lines

1. Also: hard cheese. informal,  bad luck

Word History and Origins

Origin of hard lines¹

First recorded in 1815–25

Example Sentences

It is a significant shift, a softening of hard lines previously drawn by both sides.

From BBC

There are hard lines of propriety between Fox and the rest of the world, and despite — or perhaps because of — that, Oates makes plain that seduction, narrative and instruction each entail the exercise of power.

From Los Angeles Times

Giving him a face and a broken heart and Goldstein’s soulfulness asks us to reexamine our own hard lines — and wonder whether they’re protective or binding.

From Salon

It will be a land of hard lines and harsh realities where loyalties and allegiances revolve around one man Donald Trump.

From Salon

Lawmakers have taken increasingly hard lines on China’s labor practices, intellectual property theft from foreign businesses and generous subsidies for factories that produce far more than Chinese consumers can buy.

From New York Times