play hardball

play hardball
a) To use every means possible to achieve a goal, especially in disregarding the harm caused.

He was more than willing to extend the terms of the loan, but his boss decided to play hardball and demanded a balloon payment.

b) To act rough and ruthless, especially in politics or business.

So you wanna play hardball?


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • play hardball — If someone plays hardball, they are very aggressive in trying to achieve their aim …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • play hardball — phrase to use any methods to defeat someone, even unfair or dishonest ones Thesaurus: to compete, or to try to winsynonym Main entry: hardball …   Useful english dictionary

  • play hardball — play tough, try to hurt the opponent, play dirty    If the manager wants to play hardball, show him that you are tough …   English idioms

  • play hardball (with someone) — tv. to act trong and aggressive about an issue with someone. □ Things are getting a little tough. The president has decided to play hardball on this issue. □ If he wants to play hardball with us, we can play that way, too …   Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions

  • play hardball —    If someone plays hardball, they are very aggressive in trying to achieve their aim.   (Dorking School Dictionary) …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • play hardball — informal uncompromising and ruthless behaviour. → hardball …   English new terms dictionary

  • play hardball — American & Australian to be so determined to get what you want, especially in business, that you use methods that are unfair or harm other people. The company is playing hardball with the bank, holding back on payments it owes them to force an… …   New idioms dictionary

  • Play hardball —   If someone plays hardball, they are very agressive in trying to achieve their aim …   Dictionary of English idioms

  • play hardball (to) —  Be demanding, difficult to negotiate with (baseball).  ► “The problem is that the Republican controlled Senate is vowing to play hard ball over the FED vacancies. GOP lawmakers are all but demanding that Clinton reappoint Greenspan, a… …   American business jargon

  • play hardball — vb American to behave in a tough, unrelenting or uncompromising way. A phrase used for instance among business people, politi cians, sportsmen, etc. from the 1960s, and now heard outside the United States. A metaphor taken from base ball, where a …   Contemporary slang

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