0 A hard-boiled egg has been heated in its shell in boiling water until both the white and yellow parts are solid. --
1 used to describe a style of story, usually about crime and detectives (= people who solve crimes), that includes unpleasant or violent details: --
2 (of an egg) boiled in its shell until both the white and yellow parts are solid --
3 appearing not to have emotions or weaknesses: --
a hard-boiled detective
We can only look at this transaction from the point of view of hard-boiled realism and not sentiment.
It is always reckoned that journalists are hard-boiled specimens of humanity.
Some of those engaged in research using animals become hard-boiled in their attitude towards those animals.
There will also be some hard-boiled customers leering down from the benches.
I would hazard the guess that millions of people will be infinitely depressed at the prospect of hard-boiled eggs and no fresh mayonnaise.
It is perfectly possible to make an edible sauce with hard-boiled egg yolks but it would not be mayonnaise, and that should be made clear.
Even if we were hard-faced, hard-boiled men, we would still have to care to get the votes.
But those hard-boiled eggs are chemically treated and sometimes the chemical treatment goes wrong and the hard-boiled eggs have to be discarded.
