hard as nails
(as) hard as nails
Physically or mentally tough. I'm scared of those bikers—they all look like they're hard as nails! Our aunt is as hard as nails, so we asked her to give the eulogy, knowing that she's the only one who could do it without crying.
hard-as-nails
Describing someone who is physically or mentally tough. Aren't you scared of those hard-as-nails bikers? We asked our hard-as-nails aunt to give the eulogy, knowing that she's the only one who could do it without crying.
*hard as nails
Cliché [of someone] stern and unyielding. (*Also: as ∼.) Don't try to bargain with Liz. She's as hard as nails. Bob may seem sweet and easily swayed, but in fact he's hard as nails.
hard as nails
Unyielding, callous, unsympathetic, as in Don't ask her for a contribution-she's hard as nails. This expression has replaced the 14th-century simile hard as flint stone and presumably alludes to the rigidity of nails.
hard as nails
If someone is as hard as nails, they are very unsympathetic towards other people and do not show their emotions. He's a shrewd businessman and hard as nails. When necessary she could be as hard as nails. Note: You can use hard-as-nails before a noun. That was his hard-as-nails trade representative, Carla Hills.