hard-nosed

Normally an air accident investigation would involve a swarm of hard-nosed engineers and scientists poring over wreckage.

Hard-nosed criticism is squeezed out by soft stories, gossip and fluff.

“Politics is a hard-nosed game, and the right has been playing Marquess of Queensbury Rules for a long time on this,” he said.

Documents released by the British archives reveal Thatcher as a hard-nosed opponent of Israel's West Bank settlement project.

To me this would demonstrate a hard-nosed determination that all citizens should find frightening.