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# the hard stuff

phrase (noun phrase, «the hard stuff»; uncountable)

«the hard stuff» in the English dictionary: in the primary school — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## In the primary school

Source: Mova's pupils' dictionary. Licence: [Elamur Cosmic License](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/LICENSE/). Reviewed: the dictionary the pupils of Mova's primary school read; its examples quote the lessons and public-domain tales. Ships with Mova.

### Meaning

1. (euphemism, humorous) strong alcoholic drink such as whisky, vodka or rum (spirits), not beer or wine.
2. (slang) hard drugs.
3. (everyday) the difficult part of a task.

### In the lessons

Used to speak about strong drink jokingly or lightly («I'll stick to beer, I don't touch the hard stuff»). It hides the plain word «spirits» or «whisky» and can hint at a drinking problem. In schools the everyday sense «the hard stuff» = the difficult part is very common.

### Examples

- (pub) He's given up the hard stuff and only drinks shandy now.
- (gossip) Uncle Pete was on the hard stuff by lunchtime.
- (film) The cowboy asked for a glass of the hard stuff.
- (school) First the easy sums, then we move on to the hard stuff.
- (teacher) Don't skip the hard stuff — that's where you learn.
- (news) The clinic helps people off the hard stuff.
- (chat) maths homework is fine but the hard stuff is question 10

### Note

Trap: in a lesson «the hard stuff» usually means the difficult problems, not alcohol. In adult talk it means spirits or drugs. Uncountable: no «a hard stuff».