hardscrabble

See also: Hardscrabble

English

Alternative forms
  • hard-scrabble

Etymology

hard +‎ scrabble

Pronunciation
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈhɑɹdˌskɹæbəl/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Rhymes: -æbəl

Adjective

hardscrabble (not comparable)

  1. Of land: taking a lot of work to farm, and even then not very productive.
    • 1922: Rex Ellingwood Beach, Flowing Gold
      In the case of Allegheny Briskow, poverty, the drought, the grinding hardships of these hard-scrabble Texas counties, had dwarfed the intellect, the very soul of a splendid young animal.
  2. Involving hard work and struggle.
    his hardscrabble peanut farm
    He leads a hardscrabble existence.
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