hardball

hard·ball /ˈhɑːdbɔːl $ ˈhɑːrdbɒːl/ noun [uncountableU] American EnglishAmE

play hardball informalDETERMINED to be very determined to get what you want, especially in business or politics 〔尤指在商界或政界中〕态度果决，采取强硬手段

Examples from the Corpus

play hardball• PITTSBURGHThe Steelers and Pirates found out voters can play hardball, too.• Well, we can play hardball, too.• This is playing hardball, but it is hardball of a sort familiar in these dealings.• Toymaker Mattel is getting ready to play hardball in an effort to persuade Hasbro to reconsider a merger.• It is clear that the company is ready to play hardball with the unions.• The Deputy Prime Minister told reporters that Canada was ready to play hardball with the US.

Examples from the Corpus

hardball• It was the same nasty hardball every workman knew to expect.• Well, we can play hardball, too.• This is playing hardball, but it is hardball of a sort familiar in these dealings.• I began to understand the style of working in D. C. It was a place where people played political hardball.

From Longman Business Dictionary

hardballhard·ball /ˈhɑːdbɔːlˈhɑːrdbɒːl/ noun

play hardball informal to be very determined to get what you want, especially in business or politics, without considering the feelings of others

The car company is ready to play hardball in negotiations with the union.

hard·ball noun

Chinese

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Corpus