hardball

Definition of Hardball in English :

1. hardball

a no-nonsense attitude in business or politics

Example Sentences:
'they play hardball in the Senate'

2. hardball

baseball as distinguished from softball

WordNet Lexical Database for English. Princeton University. 2010.

Hardball

noun

1. US and Canadian

baseball as distinct from softball

2. play hardball

noun

1.

a.

a kind of baseball characterized by hard-thrown overhand pitching

b.

the ball typically used in this game; baseball (sense 2)

2.

any ruthless, aggressive, highly competitive form of politics, business, etc.

esp. in the phrase play hardball, to engage in some activity in a ruthless, highly competitive way

adjective

3.

of or characterized by ruthlessness, competitiveness, coercion, etc.

hardball business practices

n.

1. Baseball.

2. Informal The use of any means, however ruthless, to attain an objective.