hard hat
noun
a protective helmet of metal or plastic, especially as worn by construction or factory workers.
a uniformed soldier of a regular army, as opposed to a guerrilla.
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Origin of hard hat
First recorded in 1925–30
Definition for hard hat (2 of 2)
hard-hat
or hard·hat
[ hahrd-hat ]
/ ˈhɑrdˌhæt /
noun Informal.
a construction worker, especially a member of a construction workers' union.
a working-class conservative.
adjective
pertaining to or characteristic of hard-hats: enlisting hard-hat support for his policies.
Origin of hard-hat
First recorded in 1960–65
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for hard hat
He was a local construction worker, complete with hardhat, and he spoke with a heavy Spanish accent.
British Dictionary definitions for hard hat
hard hat
noun
a hat made of a hard material for protection, worn esp by construction workers, equestrians, etc
informal, mainly US and Canadian a construction worker
adjective hard-hat
informal, mainly US characteristic of the presumed conservative attitudes and prejudices typified by construction workers
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Idioms and Phrases with hard hat
hard hat
A working-class ultraconservative. For example, They were counting on a large number of votes from the hard hats. This term alludes to the rigid protective headgear worn by construction workers, who were noted for their conservatism during the tumultuous 1960s. [c. 1960]
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.