hardball

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The word "hardball" has a few meanings, but it is most commonly used in two main contexts: sports and business or politics.

Basic Definition:

1. Baseball Context:

   • Hardball refers to the traditional game of baseball, which uses a hard ball. It is different from softball, which uses a larger, softer ball and has different rules.

2. Business/Politics Context:

   • Hardball describes a tough, no-nonsense attitude. When someone "plays hardball," they are being very serious and aggressive in their approach, especially in competitive situations like business negotiations or politics.

Usage Instructions:

• You can use "hardball" as a noun when referring to the sport or the attitude.
• When talking about someone’s approach to a situation, you might say they "play hardball."

Examples:

1. In Sports:

   • "He prefers playing hardball instead of softball because he enjoys the competitive nature of baseball."

2. In Business/Politics:

   • "The senator decided to play hardball during the negotiations to ensure his demands were met."

Advanced Usage:

• In a political context, "playing hardball" might involve using aggressive tactics to win a debate or to achieve a goal, such as making strong alliances or threats.

Word Variants:

• The phrase "to play hardball" is commonly used.
• You might also see the adjective form "hardball" used to describe tactics, as in "hardball tactics."

Different Meanings:

• While the primary meanings relate to the sport and attitude, "hardball" is sometimes used metaphorically to describe any situation where someone is being tough or uncompromising.

Synonyms:

• For the sports context: baseball, hardball game.
• For the business/political context: tough tactics, aggressive strategy, no-nonsense approach.

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• There aren't specific idioms or phrasal verbs that use "hardball," but you might hear phrases like "go hardball" or "play hardball" to emphasize taking a tough approach.

Conclusion:

Understanding "hardball" in both contexts can help you communicate effectively about sports and serious situations in life, like business or politics.

Academic

Noun

1. baseball as distinguished from softball
2. a no-nonsense attitude in business or politics
   • they play hardball in the Senate