hardball: Meaning and Definition of

hard•ball

Pronunciation: (härd'bôl"), [key]
— n.
  1. baseball, as distinguished from softball.
  2. to act or work aggressively, competitively, or ruthlessly, as in business or politics.
—adj.
  1. tough or ruthless: He wasn't ready for the hardball politics of Washington.
  2. outspoken, challenging, or difficult: Reporters asked the president some hardball questions.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
See also: