DCHP-1 Online

hardrock

• 1a n. Mining mining in solid rock, especially quartz.

  See also: quartz mining  

  • 1936  "People wouldn't look at hard-rock in them days. Hard-rock takes machinery and money."

• 1b n. Mining (attributive uses) pertaining to such rock or the mining of it.

  • 1936  . . . he was looking upon Mona Casper and young Hugh Ludlow, heirs to these mills and timber limits and the precious hard-rock veins in the range yonder.
  • 1957  No trouble getting work out there if you can claim experience as a catskinner, high rigger, hardrock mucker, sidehill gouger, or bullcook.
  • 1963  . . . this traditional hardrock miner's union can do a better job on behalf of mine employees than either Steel or the craft unions.

• 2a n. Slang a strong, rough person of great endurance.

  • 1950  One night in Parrsboro he ran up against a hardrock from Spencer's Island, and when the fracas ended he had been completely thrashed for the first time in his life.
  • 1964  Murray Balfour, a Chicago Black Hawk hardrock, will accept goals in any form, even if they're scored off his backside.

• 2b n. Slang (attributive uses) characterized by strong, rough, durable behavior.

  • 1962  He is truly a hard-rock competitor assuming "policeman" role for [the] Maple Leafs.
  • 1965  Page [is] a hard-rock defensive back. . . .

• 3 n. Slang (attributive uses) unyielding; difficult to reason with; hard-headed.

  • 1963  Old-line, hardrock Tory Protestants cannot vote for "the Party of the Pope"--that is, the Liberals. . . .