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hardcase

hardcase

1 8.3
A funny person who behaves in a bold, unusual way
  • noun
  • /ˈhɑrdˌkeɪs/
  • Slang
translation icon : personaje excéntrico
  • Her father's an Ohio hardcase, Clarence Milton Olds, called Bumper Olds.

Examples

  • Everyone loves to hear the stories from that old hardcase who always has a funny joke ready.

  • At the party, her wild dance moves revealed that she was quite the hardcase, always entertaining the crowd.

  • He's such a hardcase; his eccentric sense of humor always makes everyone laugh.

Synonyms

card
vshardcase
  • Archaic
344 7.7

A funny person who behaves in a strange and entertaining way

is more eccentric and striking rather than mainly joke telling
oddball
vshardcase
  • Offensive
21 7.2

A person who acts in a strange way

is more amusing and striking rather than only odd or strange
humorist
vshardcase
  • US
12 5.0

A person who makes people laugh by telling funny stories or jokes

is more spontaneous eccentric behaviour than crafted professional humour
funnyman
vshardcase
5 3.7

A man who makes people laugh by telling jokes or acting in a silly way

is more eccentric and attention grabbing rather than only joke telling
colorful character
vshardcase
  • US
4 4.8

A person who is interesting and unusual in a lively way

is more about odd amusing behavior than simply being notable
dipsy
vshardcase
  • Informal
2 9.9

A person who acts silly and playful in a slightly strange but friendly way

is more striking and deliberately entertaining rather than merely playful
eccentric person
vshardcase
1 6.0

A person with unusual habits or behavior

is more entertaining and striking rather than merely unconventional
eccentric
vshardcase
1 7.0

A person who behaves in an unusual way that others find odd

is more amusing and attention grabbing rather than only odd
gasser
vshardcase
  • Archaic
1 8.6

A very funny person or thing that makes people laugh

is more eccentric and striking in behaviour rather than only very funny
funster
vshardcase
  • Informal
1 8.9

A person who makes others laugh in a group

is more eccentric and striking in behaviour than group focused amusement
lovable weirdo
vshardcase
  • Informal
1 6.7

A person with odd habits who others like

is more strikingly entertaining rather than just charmingly odd
josser
vshardcase
  • Offensive
9.9

A person who does silly or odd things

is more noticeably entertaining and striking rather than merely silly

How Amusing

comic
289 1.9
hardcase
  • Slang
1 8.3

Surface Forms

hardcase singular
hardcases plural

Morphology

hardcase = hard + case (semi-transparent) = hard + case

While formed from 'hard' + 'case', the sense 'amusing or eccentric person' is an idiomatic extension and not directly inferable from the components.

Etymology

A helpful way to remember hardcase is to see it as hard 'strong' and case 'person', so it means a person with a bold or unusual character who is often amusing.