hardness

n 1: the property of being rigid and resistant to pressure; not

easily scratched [ant: {softness}]

2: devoid of passion or feeling [syn: {unfeelingness}, {callousness},

{insensibility}]

3: the quality of being difficult to do; "he assigned a series

of problems of increasing hardness"

4: excessive sternness; "the severity of his punishment was

inhuman" [syn: {severity}, {harshness}, {inclemency}, {stiffness}]