Quick Definition
hard, violent, harsh, stern
Strong's Definition
dry, i.e. hard or tough (figuratively, harsh, severe)
Derivation: from the base of G4628 (σκέλος);
KJV Usage: fierce, hard
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
σκληρός, σκληρά, σκληρόν (σκέλλω, σκληναι, (to dry up, be dry)), from (Hesiod, Theognis), Pindar, Aeschylus down; the Sept. for χΘωΖΡδ, hard, harsh, rough, stiff (τά σκληρά καί τά μαλακά, Xen) mem. 3, 10, 1); of men, metaphorically, harsh, stern, hard: Mat_25:24 (1Sa_25:3; Isa_19:4; Isa_48:4; many examples from secular authors are given by Passow, under the word, 2 b.; (Liddell and Scott, under the word, II. 2; especially Trench, § xiv.)); of things: ἄνεμος, violent, rough, Jas_3:4; ὁ λόγος, offensive and intolerable, Joh_6:60, equivalent to ὅς σκανδαλίζει, 61; σκληρά λαλεῖν κατά τίνος, to speak hard and bitter things against one, Jud_1:15 (σκληρά λαλεῖν τίνι is also used of one who speaks roughly, Gen_42:7; Gen_42:30; ἀποκρίνεσθαι σκληρά, to reply with threats, 1Ki_12:13); σκληρόν ἐστι followed by an infinitive, it is dangerous, turns out badly (A. V. it is hard), Act_9:5 Rec.; .
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
σκληρός sklēros 5x
dry, hard to the touch; met. harsh, severe, stern, Mat_25:24 ;
vehement, violent, fierce, Jas_3:4 ;
grievous, painful, Act_26:14 ;
grating to the mind, repulsive, offensive, Joh_6:60 ;
stubborn, resistance to authority, Jud_1:15
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
σκληρός , -ά , -όν
( < σκέλλω , to dry ),
[in LXX chiefly for H7185 ; ]
hard to the touch, rough, harsh , ( opp . to μαλακός ); metaph ., in various uses;
(a) of men, hard, stern, severe: Mat_25:24 ;
(b) of things, hard, rough, violent: σκληρόν σοι (ἐστι ), Act_26:14 ; λόγος , Joh_6:60 ; ἄνεμος , Jas_3:4 ; σκληρὰ λαλεῖν , Jud_1:15 .†
SYN.: αὐστηρός G840 , q.v.
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
σκληρός [page 578]
The original meaning of this adj. was hard, as in BGU III. 952 .10 (ii/iii A.D.) τι ]μῆς μαρμάρου ξηροῦ σκλ [ηροῦ , and from the inscrr. Syll 540 (= .3 972) .96 (B.C. 175), which speaks of the working and building of the hard stone from Lebadeia, πέ ]τρας σκληρᾶς : so OGIS 194 .28 (B.C. 42) ἐκ σκληροῦ λίθου . But in this last inscr. .14 σκληροτέρας καὶ [μείζονος συμφορᾶς τοῦ ἀέρος describes (with some doubt from hiatus) a pestilent miasma in the atmosphere. See also P Cairo Zen II. 59275 .9 (B.C. 251) σκ ]ληρὰ κρέα , bitter (or pickled) meats. BGU I. 140 .14 (time of Hadrian) τ ]οῦτο οὐκ ἐδόκει σκληρὸν [εἶ ]ναι shows the metaph. sense which prevails in the NT : cf. Kaibel 942 .2 (i/B.C.) θερμὸν πνεῦμα φέρων σκληρᾶς παῖς ἀπὸ πυγμαχίας , and Aristeas 289 where kings are described as ἀνήμεροί τε καὶ σκληροί , inhuman and harsh. For σκληρουργός , a mason, cf. P Ryl II. 410 (ii/A.D.), BGU III. 952 .6 (ii/iii A.D.). For the history of σκληρός see an elaborate note by Dieterich in Rheinisches Museum N.F. lx. (1905). P. 236 ff.
Liddell-Scott — Intermediate Greek Lexicon
σκληρός σκληρός, ή, όν [Etym: σκέλλω] "hard", Lat. durus, Theogn. , Aesch. , etc. of sound, "hard, harsh, crashing", Lat. aridus, Hes. , Hdt. "hard, stiff, unyielding", Lat. rigidus, Ar. , Xen. :—of boys who look old for their age, "stiff, sturdy", Plut. , Luc. metaph. of things, "hard, austere, severe", Soph. , Eur. ; σκληρὰ μαλθακῶς λέγων Soph. adv., σκληρῶς καθῆσθαι, i. e. "on a hard seat", Ar.
STEPBible — Tyndale Abridged Greek Lexicon
σκληρός, -ά, -όν
(σκέλλω, to dry), [in LXX chiefly for קָשָׁה ;]
hard to the touch, rough, harsh, (opposite to μαλακός); metaphorically, in various uses;
__(a) of men, hard, stern, severe: Mat.25:24;
__(b) of things, hard, rough, violent: σκληρόν σοι (ἐστι), Act.26:14; λόγος, Jhn.6:60; ἄνεμος, Jas.3:4; σκληρὰ λαλεῖν, Ju 15.†
SYN.: αὐστηρός, q.v (AS)