- dur
- I.n. m.1. Un dur: A tough guy, one who is not easily frightened. Jouer au dur: To play the heavy.2. Le dur. The train. Brûler le dur. To travel without a ticket.3. Du dur: 'Readies', hard cash (as opposed to cheques, promissory notes, etc.Originally, du dur referred to gold coins—to many, the most reliable currency).4. Les durs: 'Hard', hard labour. Monter aux durs: To get sentenced to a term of penal servitude. (The distinction between prison and travaux forcés has all but disappeared; the difference to hardened criminals until recently was of great importance.)II.adj.1. 'Tough', difficult. Ça n'est pas dur à piger: It's easy to guess.2. Etre dur a cuire: To be 'something of a tough nut', to be resilient to all manner of stresses and strains.3. Etre dur de la feuille: To be 'hard of hearing', to be a little deaf.4. Etre dur à la desserre (also: à la détente): To be 'tight-fisted', to be mean.5. L'avoir dur pour: To 'have a crush on', to be infatuated with someone.III.adv. Croire dur comme fer à quelque chose: To take something for gospel truth, to believe firmly in something.
Dictionary of Modern Colloquial French. 2013.