2012, Eric G. Bennett, PULL UP THE LADDER JACK: SEAMEN BEHAVING BADLY, page 39:
As they were both broke, the stoker put the hard word on the consul for a bit of travelling money. Eric found afterwards that the stoker was quite experienced in putting the bum on people.
2020 January 26, Scott Morrison, “Celebrate Australia’s strong and open heart”, in Sydney Morning Herald:
Our school kids are running lemonade and cake stalls, putting the hard word on parents and helping fill the coffers.
2010, Paul Thomas, The Ihaka Trilogy, volume 2, page 34:
He'd flopped this way and that in the big bed, like a fish in the bottom of a boat, and tormented himself with bitter thoughts. Fuck, it wasn't as if his demands were excessive—he only put the hard word on her once every couple of weeks, if that. She'd been happy enough to lie back and think of her credit cards in the early days
Well, we could put the hard word on him. You know, scare the crap out of him.
2020 April 22, Dominic Powell, “ACCC directs petrol stations to pass on record-low oil prices”, in Sydney Morning Herald:
Australia's consumer watchdog has put the hard word on petrol retailers, instructing them to pass on the benefits of record oil prices.
2020 September 9, Andrew Tillett, “Mooted sale of Westpac's Pacific businesses raises China concerns”, in Financial Review:
while the government could not intervene in any sale, it would make clear that a sale to Chinese interests would be inappropriate. / "They will quietly put the hard word on Westpac executives to be good patriots," he said.
2020 June 3, Bernard Ingham, “Tell us, Boris, the purpose of Dominic Cummings”, in Yorkshire Post:
They may well be encouraged to harry him since reports suggest he has given Cummings the hard word about his future conduct
2013, Scott R. Paeth, The Niebuhr Brothers for Armchair Theologians, page 67:
The role of the prophet is always to bring the hard word to the rulers, reminding them that God is always greater than even their most elevated accomplishments and stands in judgment over our inevitable moral compromises.
