To cause someone difficulty, trouble, or persistent annoyance through criticism, teasing, or making things more challenging than necessary. Can range from playful ribbing to serious harassment.
This phrase developed in early 20th century American English, where 'hard time' originally referred to difficult periods or imprisonment ('doing hard time'). The expression evolved to describe any situation where someone makes life more difficult for another person. It can be used for both serious harassment and good-natured teasing.
The genius of this phrase is its flexibility - it can describe anything from affectionate teasing between friends to workplace bullying, with context determining the severity. The 'time' element suggests duration, implying this isn't a one-off incident but an ongoing pattern. It's one of those expressions that can be delivered with a smile or a scowl and mean completely different things.
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