IdiomDaily Life
English
Englishcold hard cash
Meaning: Actual money in coins and bills, not credit or promises.
Example: “The collector paid for the painting in cold hard cash.”
Origin: "Hard cash" meant coins, as opposed to paper money, from the 18th century; "cold" was added later for emphasis.
Equivalents in other languages
Spanish: contante y sonante Literally: Ready and ringing
French: Des espèces sonnantes et trébuchantes Literally: Ringing and tipping coin
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