Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

hard up

Word Rarity Common

Frequency: Zipf frequency 5.47 in modern English

Syllables: hard up
IPA

12

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

1

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Lacking money; impecunious; in financial difficulties.

Colloquial

adj

Lacking anything.

Colloquial

adj

Colloquial

verb

Synonym of harden up (to become or make hard)

Example Sentences

"1886, Jerome K. Jerome, Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow, On being hard up I can speak with authority on the subject of being hard up. I have been a provincial actor. If further evidence be required, which I do not think likely, […]"
"Miss Frensham is young, but she is not beautiful, and to put it in that way is to pay her a noticeable compliment. She is also, I gather, regrettably hard up. Now, as I never conceal from my clients, my business is conducted on a purely financial basis […]"
"We were hard up for amusements."
"Dating him? She must be hard up."

Usage

Colloquial

Inflected Forms

more hard up (comparative) most hard up (superlative) hard-up (alternative) hards up (present, singular) harding up (participle, present) harded up (participle, past) harded up (past)

Synonyms

almsless arm badly off bankrupt beggared beggarly boracic broke broken broker than the Ten Commandments depauperate destitute

Questions

What does hard up mean?: Lacking money; impecunious; in financial difficulties.

How to pronounce hard up

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