crucible /krooˈsi-bl/

1. An earthen pot for melting ores, metals, etc
2. A severe test or trial (figurative)

• hardly good enough
• hard man
• hard measures
• hard men
• hard-metal
• hard money
• hardmouthed
• hardness
• hardnesses
• hardnosed
• hard of hearing
• hardoke
• hardokes
• hard on
• hard-on
• hard ons
• hard-ons
• hard on the heels of
• hard pad
• hard palate
• hard palates
• hard-pan
• hard-pans
• hardparts
• hard-paste