be hard on somebody

be hard on (one)

1. To treat one overly strictly or harshly. Please don't be hard on Tessa—she's such a sensitive kid. I know I didn't do well on the exam, but I didn't expect my dad to be so hard on me about it—he grounded me for a month! A: "Mom and Dad never let me have any fun! Can you tell them not to be so hard on me?" B: "Yeah, like they take parenting advice from their first-born. Right."

2. To be unfair or difficult for one to endure. It's hard on me to watch you suffer like this. The tragedy has been really hard on our whole family, but my wife has ben a rock through it all. When a young person dies suddenly, the pain just ripples out—it's hard on everyone.

See also: hard, on

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

be ˈhard on somebody

1 treat, criticize or punish somebody too severely: Don’t be too hard on little Emma. She didn’t intend to break the cup.
2 be unfair to somebody; be unfortunate for somebody: It’s hard on the people who have to work on New Year’s Day.

See also: hard, on, somebody

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017