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3. a hard time

a hard time

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a hard time

1. Grief or frustration intentionally inflicted on one by another, in the form of teasing, bullying, or other ill treatment. The school bully started giving the new kid a hard time until the teacher sent him to the principal's office.

2. Difficulty or a source of struggle. Often used in the phrase "have a hard time." I'm really having a hard time in math this semester—I need to get a tutor.

See also: hard, time

*a hard time

 and *a bad time; *a rough time

trouble [over something]; unnecessary difficulty. (*Typically: have ~ give someone ∼.) Please don't give me a hard time. The clerk got a hard time from the boss, so he quit.

See also: hard, time