die hard

die hard (third-person singular simple present dies hard, present participle dying hard, simple past and past participle died hard)

1. (of a living being) To die only after a desperate struggle for life.
2. (of a custom, idea etc) To be slow in changing or disappearing.
   • 1960 December, “The Glasgow Suburban Electrification is opened”, in Trains Illustrated, page 715:

     Another incentive to Glaswegians to make full use of their new facilities is that road-rail competition has died hard in this area and the prevailing fare levels, even though rail rates were recently increased, are somewhat low by standards elsewhere in Britain—[...].

• die-hard, diehard
• old habits die hard

• you can't teach an old dog new tricks

• dihedra