Hard to kill
Meaning
Resilient or difficult to get rid of, often surviving adverse conditions or repeated attempts to eliminate it.
Origin
The phrase "hard to kill" conjures images of creatures or entities that defy annihilation. While its exact etymology isn't pinpointed to a single historical event, its power lies in its direct, visceral imagery, drawing on our primal understanding of struggle and survival. It's the persistent weed in the garden, the stubborn virus, or the mythical beast with many lives. This vivid language paints a picture of extreme durability, a quality so impressive it pushes past mere endurance into a realm of near-invincibility, making it a punchy descriptor for anything that refuses to yield.
Examples
- Despite numerous setbacks, the old startup proved hard to kill, eventually finding its niche and thriving.
- That pesky weed is hard to kill; it just keeps growing back no matter what I do.