Synonyms for die hard
adj accepted, traditional- according to the book
- acknowledged
- admitted
- approved
- authoritative
- buttoned-down
- by the numbers
- canonical
- conformist
- conservative
- conventional
- correct
- customary
- devout
- die-hard
- doctrinal
- established
- in line
- legitimate
- official
- old-line
- pious
- proper
- punctilious
- reactionary
- received
- recognized
- religious
- right
- rightful
- sanctioned
- sound
- square
- standard
- straight
- straight arrow
- traditionalistic
- true
- well-established
Antonyms for die hard
resisted
- abide
- abstain from
- antagonize
- assail
- assault
- battle
- bear
- brook
- buck
- check
- combat
- confront
- contend
- continue
- counteract
- countervail
- curb
- defy
- die hard
- dispute
- duel
- endure
- fight back
- forbear
- forgo
- hinder
- hold
- hold off
- hold out against
- keep from
- leave alone
- maintain
- persevere
- persist
- prevent
- put up a fight
- refrain
- refuse
- remain
- remain firm
- repel
- stand up to
- stay
- stonewall
- struggle against
- suffer
- thwart
- traverse
- turn down
- weather
resists
- abide
- abstain from
- antagonize
- assail
- assault
- battle
- bear
- brook
- buck
- check
- combat
- confront
- contend
- continue
- counteract
- countervail
- curb
- defy
- die hard
- dispute
- duel
- endure
- fight back
- forbear
- forgo
- hinder
- hold
- hold off
- hold out against
- keep from
- leave alone
- maintain
- persevere
- persist
- prevent
- put up a fight
- refrain
- refuse
- remain
- remain firm
- repel
- stand up to
- stay
- stonewall
- struggle against
- suffer
- thwart
- traverse
- turn down
- weather
Word Origin & History
mid-12c., possibly from Old Danish døja or Old Norse deyja "to die, pass away," both from Proto-Germanic *dawjanan (cf. Old Frisian deja "to kill," Old Saxon doian, Old High German touwen, Gothic diwans "mortal"), from PIE root *dheu- (3) "to pass away, become senseless" (cf. Old Irish dith "end, death," Old Church Slavonic daviti, Russian davit' "to choke, suffer").
It has been speculated that Old English had *diegan, from the same source, but it is not in any of the surviving texts and the preferred words were steorfan (see starve), sweltan (see swelter), wesan dead, also forðgan and other euphemisms.
Languages usually don't borrow words from abroad for central life experiences, but "die" words are an exception, because they are often hidden or changed euphemistically out of superstitious dread. A Dutch euphemism translates as "to give the pipe to Maarten." Regularly spelled dege through 15c., and still pronounced "dee" by some in Lancashire and Scotland. Used figuratively (of sounds, etc.) from 1580s. Related: Died; dies.
Example Sentences fordie hard
Then, as to the people themselves, there are certain fallacies which die hard.
Fight in darkness; fight when you are down; die hard, and you won't die at all.
He shut his teeth and, to use his own phraseology, determined to "die hard."
Fight in darkness; fight when you are down; die hard, and you wont die at all.
They do not so much conclude as die, and as a rule they die hard.
A woman's vanity makes her belief that a man cares for her die hard.
His piano music, the most grateful ever written, will die hard, yet die it will.
How he girded himself for the fight, resolved, if he died, to die hard!
People who die must do one or t'other; and some, who die hard, do both.
And all fought resolute to die hard, when, where, or how the dying came!