Drive a hard bargain meaning in English
Learn how to use Drive a hard bargain correctly with Gymglish.
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Definition
to drive a hard bargain: to negotiate well, to be a tough negotiator
You drive a hard bargain! You really know how to negotiate seriously!
Examples
- "You drive a hard bargain Danica, but I'm just happy to have my daughter by my side!"
- "Warbuckle : You drive a hard bargain, Cheeter, but you've got yourself a deal."
- "Wang is a shrewd negotiator who drives a hard bargain."
- "You drive a hard bargain Miss Bliss."
Exercise 1
In the beginning of this dialogue, Harold says that "Philip drives a hard bargain".
This means that Philip .
This means that Philip .
In the beginning of this dialogue, Harold says that "Philip drives a hard bargain".
This means that Philip is a tough negotiator.
This means that Philip is a tough negotiator.
is a tough negotiator: Harold says: "You drive a hard bargain, Cheeter". He is saying that Philip is resourceful and aggressive in his negotiations.
makes a lot of sales: The idiom "to drive a hard bargain" does not indicate the number sales a person makes. This is not actually a subject of discussion within this dialogue.
tries to deceive him: Harold tells Philip that he "drives a hard bargain", but this does not mean that Philip has lied or made any attempts to deceive Harold.
is beginning to make him mad: Harold tells Philip that he "drives a hard bargain", but this does not mean that Philip is making Harold "angry" or "mad".
Exercise 2
"Wang Bottling Co made a name for itself in the early 1980s"
To make a name for (oneself) is to .
"Wang...drives a hard bargain."
To drive a hard bargain is to be .
"Wang... is on the record as saying..."
To say something on the record is to .
To make a name for (oneself) is to .
"Wang...drives a hard bargain."
To drive a hard bargain is to be .
"Wang... is on the record as saying..."
To say something on the record is to .
"Wang Bottling Co made a name for itself in the early 1980s"
To make a name for (oneself) is to establish oneself 1.
"Wang...drives a hard bargain."
To drive a hard bargain is to be a tough negotiator 2.
"Wang... is on the record as saying..."
To say something on the record is to be cited as saying something 3.
To make a name for (oneself) is to establish oneself 1.
"Wang...drives a hard bargain."
To drive a hard bargain is to be a tough negotiator 2.
"Wang... is on the record as saying..."
To say something on the record is to be cited as saying something 3.
1 establish oneself: This is the correct answer. To "make a name for (oneself)" is to establish oneself (in a field or profession). Brian is expressing that Wang Industries established itself professionally, and its reputation improved during the early 1980s.
1 make a profit: This is incorrect. The idiom "to make a name for (oneself)" is not synonymous with "making a profit". There is no direct mention that Wang Industries made a profit during the early 1980s.
1 change one's name: This is incorrect. The idiom "to make a name for (oneself)" is not synonymous with "changing one's name". There is no mention that Wang Industries changed its name during the first part of the 1980s.
2 a tough negotiator: This is the correct answer. The idiom "to drive a hard bargain" means to be a tough and competitive negotiator. Bruno is writing that Wang is resourceful and aggressive in his negotiations. "Tough" in this context means difficult or challenging, for example: When he plays sports he's a very tough competitor, he's very hard to beat.
2 feared publicly: This is incorrect. "To drive a hard bargain" is not synonymous with "to be feared publicly".
2 notoriously cheap: This is incorrect. "To drive a hard bargain" is not synonymous with being "notoriously cheap". To be "cheap" means to be reluctant to spend money (to be "stingy"), for example: He is so cheap he never buys me a pint at the pub.
2 difficult to talk to: This is incorrect. "To drive a hard bargain" is not synonymous with being "difficult to talk to". There is no mention in the article that Lee Wang is uncommunicative or unapproachable.
3 be cited as saying something: This is the correct answer. The expression "(to be) on the record (as saying something)" means to be publicly cited as saying something, for example: He held a press conference, and went on the record as saying that the allegations were false.
3 say something controversial : This is incorrect. "On the record" is not synonymous with saying "something controversial".
3 make an audio recording: This is incorrect. "On the record" is not synonymous with the act of making an audio recording.
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