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die hard

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die hard

to end with difficulty Old friendships die hard.

Usage notes: often used in the phrase old habits die hard: He no longer needs to work, but old habits die hard, so he's at the office every day.

See also: die, hard

die hard

if a habit, custom, or belief, dies hard, it takes a long time to change or end it (usually in present tenses) After a successful 30-year career, he no longer has any need to work - but old habits die hard. These ancient traditions die hard in the isolated communities of rural China.

See also: die, hard

die hard

Take a long time to cease to exist or be dropped from consideration. For example, Old prejudices die hard, or The more radical parts of this proposal will die hard. This idiom alludes to struggling against physical death. [Late 1700s]

See also: die, hard