hard-nosed
Strict and/or unfeeling. That guy seems so hard-nosed that I'm afraid to say hi to him!
hard-nosed
Fig. stern and unforgiving. Mr. Howe was known to be very hard-nosed, but he could really be friendly if you got to know him.
hard-nosed
mod. stern and businesslike; unsympathetic. It takes a hard-nosed manager to run a place like this.