hard-nosed

Related to hard-nosed: relentlessly, exhilarating, disorderliness, be in a rut

hard-nosed

Strict and/or unfeeling. That guy seems so hard-nosed that I'm afraid to say hi to him!
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

hard-nosed

Fig. stern and unforgiving. Mr. Howe was known to be very hard-nosed, but he could really be friendly if you got to know him.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

hard-nosed

mod. stern and businesslike; unsympathetic. It takes a hard-nosed manager to run a place like this.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • cold
  • on one's
  • on someone's
  • pillow-biter
  • (as) hard as a rock
  • (as) hard as stone
  • (Have you) been OK?
  • (something) blows
  • (Can I) give you a lift?
  • out of one's
References in periodicals archive
Hard-nosed reality is about reconciling political rhetoric with electoral and governance realities, and doing just enough to stay ahead of the chasing pack.
The new monies will be devoted to companies that have difficulty in accessing pounds 50,000, let alone a million or two; and what's more this money is available only from hard-nosed fund managers, who will invest only on the strength of a strong business plan, and a management team prepared to invest and take the necessary risks.
Rupert Penry-Jones, left, and Phil Davies play the enjoyablymismatched coppers (one's all management speak and pie charts, the other a hard-nosed graduate of old school, punch first ask questions later policing) on the trial of a Ripper copycat terrorising the original Jack's old East London haunts.
A hard-nosed pricing policy, passing on fast-rising commodity costs to customers, enabled the brewer to deliver a nine per cent increase in earnings per share on half-year revenues four per cent higher at EUR11.166 billion (pounds 7.42 billion).
You may be a hard-nosed business woman lady, but that strange, uncomfortable stirring within is emotion.
The local news has been covering the story; but the sewage authority is being hard-nosed and unforgiving.
EVEN hard-nosed football writers who've heavily criticised David Beckham (below) were in wide-eyed awe at the sheer presence of the former England captain at a London gala night in his honour last week.
RICHARD MIDGLEY was described when a Golden Bear as "a hard-nosed player at both ends of the court and one of the top long-range shooters in California history".
CUNNINGHAM: I want you to stay there, Donald, because I think you're the best, you're a hard-nosed guy, you know where the bodies are buried in Washington, DC, you know how the department works.
"This may mean a return to the hard-nosed tactics of earlier years and a grassroots mobilization of each and every one of our members." Prater, a 28-year member of ALPA, won by a 24,444-23,524 vote margin and will assume office in January.
Bennett is a hard-nosed feminist and member of the culture of death.
A story about sailing, a survivor--a hard-nosed practical man, not heroic perhaps but still, in his way ...
His characterization of the flawed but lovable hard-nosed hero is inspired.
Known both for its hard-nosed business acumen off the field, as well as the hard-hitting action on it, the NFL is one of a growing list of converts from the world of sport to a school of thought that incorporates environmental responsibility into the business model.
We did not find Aetna to be "provider-friendly" but to be the hard-nosed organization they claim they have moved away from.