To feel hard done by

Origin

The precise birth of "to feel hard done by" is shrouded in the everyday laments of the common person, rather than a specific historical event or written text. It likely sprang from the direct, relatable experience of being "done" or acted upon in a "hard" way, meaning severely or unfairly. Imagine a worker in Victorian England, short-changed on his wages, or a child unfairly punished, articulating their grievance. The phrase captures that raw, subjective feeling of injustice, of being on the receiving end of a raw deal. It's the language of a personal affront, evolving from simple expressions of hardship into a distinct idiom that encapsulates the bitter taste of unfairness, becoming a staple in the vernacular for conveying that sting of being disadvantaged.