a hardened criminal/detective, etc.

[Daffodil100]

a hardened criminal/detective, etc.

someone who has had a lot of bad experiences and as a result does not get upset or shocked

source: Cambridge Advance Learners' Dictionary.


Could someone illustrate 'a hardened criminal' for me? I don't understand the definition in my dictionary.

Thanks.

 

[Bevj]

I would say 'a hardened criminal' is one who is so used to a life of crime that is has become normal to him and does not affect him from an emotional or moral standpoint.

 

[Rover_KE]

I've never heard of a hardened detective.

Rover

 

[Matching Mole]

I agree, Rover. I would tend to think of detectives more as being "hard-boiled" (which I would define as meaning inured to unpleasantness, horror or extreme difficulty) than "hardened". Hardened tends to express a negative trait, and particularly co-locates with "criminal". The OED gives:
"Rendered unfeeling or callous; hard-hearted; obdurately settled or determined in a course." I suppose the latter definition is not necessarily negative, but I would say that is the least likely meaning.

Examples given include "hardened sinner" and "hardened grumbler".

 

[Daffodil100]

Everyone, thank you for your help.