hard-boiled

UK: ˌhɑːd ˈbɔɪld | US: ˌhɑːrd ˈbɔɪld

Definition

  1. adj. (of an egg) cooked in boiling water until solid

  2. adj. (of a person) tough, cynical, or unsentimental

  3. adj. (of a style in fiction) realistic and pragmatic, often featuring gritty themes

Structure
hard <firm, unyielding>boiled <cooked in boiling water>
Etymology

The term "hard-boiled" originally described eggs cooked until the yolk and white became solid (early 19th century). By the 1880s, it metaphorically extended to describe people with a tough, unemotional demeanor, influenced by the egg's hardened state. In the 1920s–30s, it became associated with a genre of detective fiction (e.g., Dashiell Hammett's works), emphasizing realism and stoic protagonists. The morphemes retain their literal meanings while collectively evolving figurative senses.

Examples

  1. She prefers hard-boiled eggs for her salad.

  2. The detective’s hard-boiled attitude hid a sharp intellect.

  3. Hard-boiled crime novels often feature morally ambiguous characters.

  4. After years in the military, he became hard-boiled and detached.

  5. The film’s hard-boiled dialogue captured the noir style perfectly.