hard out

In New Zealand slang, “hard out” means totally, absolutely, or with full intensity. Said on its own, it’s enthusiastic agreement: “Hard out!” means “Yes, definitely.”

What hard out means

It does two jobs. As a reply, it’s a strong yes: “That concert was amazing.” “Hard out.” As an intensifier, it means going all in: “He was training hard out for the race,” “They were partying hard out.” Some people shorten it to just “hard.”

Outside New Zealand, “hard out” has a separate business meaning: a fixed time when someone has to leave or a meeting must end (“I have a hard out at three”).

Examples

• “Keen for fish and chips?” “Hard out!”
• “She’s been studying hard out all week.”
• “Yeah, hard out, that was the best game of the season.”

Where it came from

Wikipedia’s list of New Zealand English words describes hardout (or hard) as a way to show agreement or emphasis, and Wiktionary lists it as Australian and New Zealand slang for impressive or awesome.

Related terms

• Chur: thanks, cheers, awesome.
• Sweet as: great, no problem.
• Yeah nah: a polite no.
• Deadass: the American “seriously.”

More Kiwi words are in our New Zealand slang guide.