3. (colloquial).—Third-class. As opposed to soft (q.v.). Thus: ‘Do you
go hard or soft?’ = ‘Do you go Third or First?’ An abbreviation of
Hard-arse.
Adj. (American).—1. Applied to metal of all kinds: e.g., hard (cole or
stuff) = silver or gold as compared to cheques or soft (q.v.).
1825. Neal, Bro. Jonathan, ii., ch. 18. The bill ... amounted to
one dollar and a quarter hard money.
1844. Puck, p. 146. That cunning old file wont let her go with the
hard cash down.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. Hard; metal.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. Hard cole. Silver or gold money.