Hardscrabble

From Fresh Dictionary

English

Pronunciation

(US) IPA: /ˈhɑrdˌskræbəl/

• Image:Loudspeaker.png Audio (US)^{?, file}

Adjective

hard-scrabble

1. said of land that takes a lot of work in order to farm and even then is not very productive
   • 1922: Rex Ellingwood Beach, Flowing Gold

     In the case of Allegheny Briskow, poverty, the drought, the grinding hardships of these hard-scrabble Texas counties, had dwarfed the intellect, the very soul of a splendid young animal.