English

Alternative forms

• hard-scrabble

Adjective

hardscrabble ‎(comparative more hardscrabble, superlative most hardscrabble)

1. Of or pertaining to land that takes a lot of work in order to farm and even then is not very productive.
   • 1922: Rex Ellingwood Beach, Flowing Gold

     In the case of Allegheny Briskow, poverty, the drought, the grinding hardships of these hard-scrabble Texas counties, had dwarfed the intellect, the very soul of a splendid young animal.