hardball
|hard/ball|
B2
🇺🇸
/ˈhɑrdˌbɔl/
🇬🇧
/ˈhɑːdˌbɔːl/
aggressive tactics
Etymology
Etymology Information
'hardball' originates from the combination of 'hard' and 'ball', where 'hard' meant 'solid or firm' and 'ball' referred to a spherical object used in games.
Historical Evolution
'hardball' was used to distinguish the game from 'softball', emphasizing the use of a harder ball.
Meaning Changes
Initially, it referred to the game itself, but over time it evolved to describe aggressive tactics in various fields.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a type of baseball game played with a hard ball, as opposed to softball.
He prefers playing hardball over softball.
Synonyms
Idioms
Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:39