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• hard-on
  hard-on

  noun

  an erection of the penis.
• hard on
  hard on

  Also, hard upon, hard by . In close proximity, as in The police were hard on the heels of the thieves , or It was hard upon three o'clock , or Their house is hard by ours . The variants are used less than hard on . [Second half of 1700s]

hard-on

American  

[hahrd-on, -awn] / ˈhɑrdˌɒn, -ˌɔn /

noun

Slang: Vulgar.

hard-ons plural

1. an erection of the penis.

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hard on Idioms  

1. Also, hard upon, hard by . In close proximity, as in The police were hard on the heels of the thieves , or It was hard upon three o'clock , or Their house is hard by ours . The variants are used less than hard on . [Second half of 1700s]

2. be hard on . Deal severely with, cause damage to. For example, He asked the teacher not to be too hard on those who forgot the assignment , or That cat has really been hard on the upholstery . [Second half of 1600s] Also see hard time , def. 2.

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Usage

What does hard-on mean? A hard-on is slang for an erection of the penis. It has been extended as a metaphor for being excited about something in general. The vulgar slang hard-on is not to be confused with the expression to be hard (on someone) is to be mean and critical, or to he expression to go hard (on something), meaning "to go all out."What are some other forms of hard-on?hard on

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• hard-ons
  plural

Etymology

Origin of hard-on

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hard on

Investors are being too hard on Nvidia and passing up an “enhanced” buying opportunity for its stock, according to Bank of America.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 8, 2026

The industry has long been criticized for leaning too hard on sequels, franchises and remakes led by well-seasoned directors.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

"We're coming down very hard on Shein, and that's the first step," she told AFP, adding she understood the disappointment.

From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026

One fix that “Wedges” leaned especially hard on was carbon capture and storage, a technology that promised to grab carbon pollution from smokestacks and other sources and trap it forever underground.

From Salon ● Jun. 26, 2026

He pinches you really hard on the legs, and let me tell you, once you are pinched you remember it!

From "Facing the Lion" by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton and Herman Viola