hard hit, be

be hard hit (by something)

To be adversely affected (by something) to a great degree; to suffer financial losses (as the result of something). The seaside town was hard hit by storms this year. After the recession, all of our investments were hard hit.
See also: hard, hit
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

hard hit, be

Be adversely affected or be severely stricken, as in The walk-in clinics were hard hit by the new insurance laws. This idiom must be differentiated from the similar-sounding adjective hard-hitting, alluding to strenuous exertion, as in They were a hard-hitting team. [Second half of 1800s]
See also: hard
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
See also:
  • be hard hit (by something)
  • go down like ninepins
  • go down, drop, etc. like ninepins
  • ninepin
  • drop like flies
  • drop like flies, to
  • drop like ninepins
  • be dropping like flies
  • fall like ninepins
  • deal somebody/something a blow