hard-handedadj.

1587 J. Bridges Def. Govt. Church of Eng. xv. 1294 Some of these our Bretheren met with a hard hukster, or els they are ouer hard handed, if not worse affected, to any of those bookes, of which, if they might set the price, though the booke were well worth two or three shillings, would they not yet thinke it too deare of a penie or twopence?

1598 J. Norden Speculum Brit.: Hartfordshire 15 Eppalets, a Priest continually attended, to bestowe such fragmentes of Eppolettes myracles.., as the passengers were bountifull or hard-handed, but he that was coy of his coyne had but a colde and counterfeite cure.

a1750 J. Willison Sacramental Directory (1755) ii. 197 Christ is no Niggard to his Children, he is neither hard-hearted nor hard-handed; if his Children seek Bread, he will not give them a Stone.

1785 W. Cowper Task iii. 827 The cruel gripe That lean hard-handed poverty inflicts.

1794 W. Tindal Plain Truth, in Plain Dress 22 Both the avaricious landlord..and the hard-handed griping tenant conspire to keep them [sc. the labouring poor] down in a state of poverty and dejection.

1600 W. Shakespeare Midsummer Night's Dream v. i. 72 Hard handed men, that worke in Athens here, Which neuer labour'd in their minds till now. View more context for this quotation

1657 J. Taylor Coll. Offices Pref. sig. b4^v What a rare advantage it will be to the belief of such propositions when the very design of the Holy-day teaches the hard handed Artizan the name and meaning of an article.

1743 H. Bracken Traveller's Pocket-farrier 70 I would desire some hard-handed Fellow to rub it on, whose Skin would not be much hurt by the Sharpness of the Liquor.

1755 J. Shebbeare Lydia IV. cv. 59 Miss Oldcastle..being fallen from the Summit of her high and virtuous Pretensions, to become the Joke of Country Milkmaids, and hard-handed Ploughmen.

1863 ‘G. Eliot’ Romola I. Proem 2 The faint light [of dawn]..fell..on the hasty uprising of the hard-handed labourer.

1883 S. C. Hall Retrospect Long Life I. 271 The hard-handed men of the working classes.

1918 Everybody's Mag. Mar. 93/1 Bud Lee and Carson and the rest of the hard-handed, quick-eyed men in the service of the ranch.

1996 Observer 31 Mar. (Life Suppl.) 24/1 Fading images of hard-handed men in boots and overalls sweating blood in factories, shipyards and coal mines.

1611 J. Speed Hist. Great Brit. ix. ii. 424/2 The Clergie that liued according to their rule and profession, hee both honoured and richly endowed; but to the licentious was very rough and hard handed.

1641 J. Milton Of Reformation 46 Yet did one manner of Priestly government serve..the dictatorship of the Judges, the easie, or hard-handed Monarchy's, the domestick, or forrain tyrannies.

1848 Gaz. of Union 16 Sept. 195/2 I, my brother, and some other daring fellows would have taken you away from them, Mr. Thorsten, by force. But I like it best, when there is no occasion to be hard-handed.

1929 N. O. Solum & O. E. Rølvaag tr. O. E. Rølvaag Peder Victorious i. vii. 49 He was hard-handed in his treatment of the children.

1981 Frederick (Maryland) Post 10 Feb. b12/1 The loose reins of leadership flopping in the hands of Gov. Harry R. Hughes who has failed to exercise the hard-handed control over legislature as did his predecessor.

2014 Australian (Nexis) 9 Jan. (Features section) 10 Abattoir work is not for sissies. For abattoir work, one may need to be a bit hard-handed, even a bit cruel.