hard-scrabble
UK[ˈhɑːd ˌskræb.əl]US[ˈhɑːrd ˌskræb.əl]
adj
involving hard work and struggle to achieve a basic living or to succeed, especially because of poverty or difficult conditions.
Morpheme Breakdown
hard
scrabble
hard
solid, severe, difficult
scrabble
to scratch, scrape, or scramble
Etymology
the compound 'hard-scrabble' is an americanism from the early 19th century, originally describing land so poor and unyielding that one had to 'scrabble'—to scratch and scrape desperately—to cultivate it and survive. the term 'scrabble' itself derives from the dutch 'schrabbelen', meaning 'to scratch', which is imitative of a scraping sound. over time, the word's application broadened from describing barren land to characterizing any situation marked by relentless toil and meager rewards. thus, the literal image of scratching at hard ground evolved into a metaphor for a life of arduous struggle for subsistence.
Analysis
Structure: hard + scrabble
hard (old english; adjective meaning 'solid, severe, difficult') + scrabble (dutch/low german; verb meaning 'to scratch, scrape, or scramble')
Examples
they grew up in a hard-scrabble farming community during the depression.
he told stories of his hard-scrabble childhood, working multiple jobs to help his family.
the team's hard-scrabble victory was a testament to their determination, not their skill.