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hardhead1

[hahrd-hed]
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noun
  1. a shrewd, practical person.
  2. a blockhead.
  3. a freshwater fish, Mylopharodon conocephalus, of California.
  4. the Atlantic croaker.See under croaker(def 2).
  5. hardhead sponge.
  6. hardheads. a common knapweed, Centaurea nigra.
  7. hard head.
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Origin of hardhead1

First recorded in 1510–20; hard + head

hardhead2

[hahrd-hed]
noun
  1. an alloyed silver coin of Scotland, issued in the 16th and 17th centuries, equal to one and one-half pence and later to twopence.
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Origin of hardhead2

1555–65; perhaps (by folk etymology) < French hardit, after Philip III, named le Hardi the Bold (1245–85), king of France, who first issued the coin
Also called lion.

knapweed

[nap-weed]
noun
  1. any composite plant of the genus Centaurea, especially the weedy C. nigra, having rose-purple flowers set on a dark-colored, knoblike bract.
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Origin of knapweed

First recorded in 1400–50, knapweed is from the late Middle English word knopwed. See knop, weed1
Also called hardheads, Spanish button.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for hardheads

Historical Examples

  • The work came out so well that I said, "Boys, here is a great scheme—these hardheads are splendid building material."

    Little Journeys to the Homes of the Great, Vol. 1 of 14

    Elbert Hubbard

British Dictionary definitions for hardheads

hardheads

noun
  1. (functioning as singular) a thistle-like plant, Centaurea nigra, native to Europe and introduced into North America and New Zealand, that has reddish-purple flower heads: family Asteraceae (composites)Also called: knapweed See also centaury (def. 2)
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knapweed

noun
  1. any of several plants of the genus Centaurea, having purplish thistle-like flowers: family Asteraceae (composites)See also centaury (def. 2), hardheads
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Word Origin

C15 knopwed; see knop, weed 1
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012