Hard-boiled

Pronunciation varies by accent · adjective

Meaning

Of a boiled egg, cooked to a solid consistency..

Definitions by Sense

1. Of a boiled egg, cooked to a solid consistency.
2. (figurative) Of a person, especially a detective, callous and unsentimental.
3. (literature, especially detective fiction, figurative) Written in a laconic, dispassionate, often ironic style for a realistic, unsentimental effect.
4. simple past and past participle of hard-boil

Example Sentences

He told me afterward that he tried to find his folks and square himself—and maybe it was the truth—but some of the hard-boiled townspeople found him, instead, and he had a running fight all the way to the depot.

'Some big, hard-boiled egg meets up with a pretty face, and bingo! He cracks up and melts.'

Christ, maybe that blond was only a bitch after all. Maybe she put out even to the punks. Come to think of it, she looked a little hard-boiled. The kind of a broad who knew a hell of a lot.

Synonyms for hard-boiled

Antonyms for hard-boiled

Related Words

Word Forms

• more hard-boiled
• most hard-boiled
• hardboiled
• hard boiled

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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