What does "die hard" mean?

Of a living being, to die only after a desperate struggle for life.

What is a synonym for "die hard"?

Common synonyms include: backward, balk, be determined, be in earnest, be resolved, buckle down.

verb

verb ·Rare ·Advanced level

Verb

1
Of a living being, to die only after a desperate struggle for life. idiomatic, intransitive
2
continue to exist wordnet
3
Of a custom, idea, etc. to be slow in changing or disappearing. idiomatic, intransitive
"Already, however, in this earliest phase, new types cease to be invented; technical skill lingers on and dies hard, but inspiration has gone."

"Already, however, in this earliest phase, new types cease to be invented; technical skill lingers on and dies hard, but inspiration has gone."