Meaning

1 senses

  1. (informal)To exhibit tough and ruthless behavior towards another individual.

Examples

3 sentences

  1. He likes to play hardball with people.

    Tatoeba contributors · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · C2Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  2. If they refuse our offer, we'll have to play hardball.

    ruЕсли они отклонят наше предложение, придётся действовать жёстко. — Ooneykcall

    AlanF_US · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · C2Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  3. China is said to be playing hardball in the Southern Seas.

    U2FS · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · C2Open on TatoebaReport a problem

Origin

From hard + ball.

From hard + ball.

Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Forms

hardballs, hardballing, hardballed, hardballed
Base formhardball · to hardball
3rd person singularhardballs
Present participlehardballing
Past simplehardballed
Past participlehardballed

regular · Lesson

Present simpleLesson

I, you, we, theyhardball
he, she, ithardballs

Past simpleLesson

all personshardballed

Present perfectLesson

I, you, we, theyhave hardballed
he, she, ithas hardballed

Future simple (will)Lesson

all personswill hardball

Lessons for this word

3 lessons

See also

neighbours in the dictionary
hardA1hardcoreharden
hardball — meaning, examples, forms, synonyms | Krumeto