n. | 1. | The quality or state of being hard, literally or figuratively. |
2. | (Min.) The cohesion of the particles on the surface of a body, determined by its capacity to scratch another, or be itself scratched; - measured among minerals on a scale of which diamond and talc form the extremes. | |
3. | (Chem.) The peculiar quality exhibited by water which has mineral salts dissolved in it. Such water forms an insoluble compound with soap, and is hence unfit for washing purposes. |
Noun | 1. | hardness - the property of being rigid and resistant to pressure; not easily scratched; measured on Mohs scale Antonyms: softness - the property of giving little resistance to pressure |
2. | hardness - devoid of passion or feeling | |
3. | hardness - the quality of being difficult to do; "he assigned a series of problems of increasing hardness" | |
4. | hardness - excessive sternness; "severity of character"; "the harshness of his punishment was inhuman"; "the rigors of boot camp" |