What Does "Cold Hard Cash" Mean?
"Cold hard cash" is an English idiom. It means "physical money, especially bills and coins, as opposed to checks or electronic forms."Examples in Sentences
Here are three examples of the idiom "cold hard cash" used in a sentence:- He demanded payment in cold hard cash.
- No credit cards allowed, only cold hard cash.
- The old shopkeeper preferred cold hard cash over any other payment method.

What Is an Idiom?
An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "Cold Hard Cash" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.
A Quick Test
You now know what "cold hard cash" means, but are you good at English idioms? Let's see!
Gold

Silver

Bronze
- This test has questions.
- A correct answer is worth 5 points.
- You can get up to 5 bonus points for a speedy answer.
- Some questions demand more than one answer. You must get every part right.
- Beware! Wrong answers score 0 points.
- 🏆 If you beat one of the top 3 scores, you will be invited to apply for the Hall of Fame.
Scoring System
Guru (+)
Hero (+)
Captain (+)
Sergeant (+)
Recruit (+)
Guru (+)
Hero (+)
Captain (+)
Sergeant (+)
Recruit (+)
- Do you disagree with something on this page?
- Did you spot a typo?