Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Experiencing great difficulty or distress.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adjective facing or experiencing trouble or difficulty; ; -- see
distressed {1}.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective idiomatic, usually with to-infinitive Barely able.
- adjective idiomatic Experiencing financial difficulty or difficulty in surviving.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective facing or experiencing financial trouble or difficulty
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
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Examples
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We are hard-pressed to think of many other behaviors that are so common among one half of the population and rare among the other half—maybe carrying a purse.
American Grace Robert D. Putnam 2010
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Like English-speakers in any era, Sir John and his fellow anti-inkhornians would have been hard-pressed to avoid borrowed terms.
The English Is Coming! Leslie Dunton-Downer 2010
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Aside from subtle scriptural references on the posters, and the contemporary Christian music playing behind the reception desk, an unwitting visitor might be hard-pressed to identify the building as a church.
American Grace Robert D. Putnam 2010
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Like English-speakers in any era, Sir John and his fellow anti-inkhornians would have been hard-pressed to avoid borrowed terms.
The English Is Coming! Leslie Dunton-Downer 2010
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Without access to the original paperwork, however, "you can really be hard-pressed" to find the information you need, says James H. Guarino , a partner at Boston-area accounting and consulting firm MFA - Moody, Famiglietti & Andronico LLP.
Tips for Solving the Cost-Basis Mystery Arden Dale 2011
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The fact of the matter is that Rome, in late summer, is inundated with tourists and the most resourceful traveler would be hard-pressed to escape the hoards of tour groups roaming the city.
Michael Yarbrough: A Student's Guide to Backpacking: Rome Michael Yarbrough 2011
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If you had asked me, I think I would have been hard-pressed to explain why I pretended to be sick so much.
The Dark Side of Innocence Terri Cheney 2011
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Many distillers are hard-pressed to admit that they even market a white rum.
Tony Sachs: How To Make A Real Daiquiri - And The Best White Rums To Make It With Tony Sachs 2011
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Absent an uptick in trading activity, or another run-up in commodity prices, Glencore will be hard-pressed to achieve 2011 earnings of $6.4 billion, as forecast by banks associated with its IPO.
Glencore's Slow Start Andrew Peaple 2011
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He believed that long before their ads had run their course, the favorable first impression Morrison had made would have been replaced with the one they wanted: a once reputable officer who spent too much of his retirement hanging out with rich people and advocating their interests over the needs of hard-pressed Americans.
O: A Presidential Novel Anonymous 2011
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