hard-pressed
UK/'hɑ:dprest/US/ˌhɑ:dˈprest/
释义
adj.
Facing serious difficulty or pressure; barely able to cope
处境艰难的；压力很大的
adj.
Finding it hard to do something (hard-pressed to do)
很难做到（hard-pressed to do）
词根拆分
词根派生hardroot
+
pressed压，按
=hard-pressed
hard + pressed。被狠狠地压着——被各种需求或麻烦逼迫。注意固定搭配 'hard-pressed to (do something)'，意为很难做到某事。
使用指南
最地道的用法是 be hard-pressed to + 动词，意为'很难……'：You'd be hard-pressed to name a single mistake（你很难举出一个错误）。这种用法完全是比喻，跟物理上的'压'没有关系。
例句
- 1.
Families are hard-pressed to pay rising bills.
各家庭都被不断上涨的账单压得喘不过气。
- 2.
You'd be hard-pressed to find a better deal.
你很难找到比这更划算的了。
- 3.
The hard-pressed defense held on until the final whistle.
苦苦支撑的防线一直坚持到了终场哨响。