hardscrabble

C2 Topic:Register & Style
US /ˈhɑɹdˌskɹæbəl/
adj Freq #102651

Meanings

  1. 1
    adj

    barely satisfying a lower standard

    The sharecropper's hardscrabble life.

  2. 2
    adj

    Requiring much work to farm, and ultimately not very productive.

    His hardscrabble peanut farm.

  3. 3
    adj

    Involving hard work and struggle.

    He leads a hardscrabble existence.

Etymology

From hard + scrabble.

Topics

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