hard-won

adj
/hɑːd ˈwʌn/UK/hɑɹd ˈwʌn/US

Etymology

From hard (“with difficulty; with much effort”, adverb) + won (“obtained”, verb).

Definitions

  1. Having been obtained with effort, despite difficulty and hardship.

    • The Earle of London yéeldes his Charge and Cittie to the Foe, / Through which diſloyall preſedent did other Citties ſoe: / And then with hard-won Tribute hence the Conquerour did goe.
    • Eulogists of the Bill of Rights often overlook the fact that some of the hardest-won rights of the individual against the state were inserted in the Constitution itself.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for hard-won. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA