Definition of "hardtack" [hard•tack]

• A hard biscuit or bread made with only flour and water. Also called sea biscuit, sea bread, ship biscuit. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "“A new delicacy I found out about,” he said, and looked sidelong at Picard, “called hardtack.”"
• "On the card was this message: "The Bible says, 'Love your enemies' -- here is an enemy for you to conquer," for it was a well-known fact that grandfather found it hard to overcome his dislike of the "hardtack," as he denominated the beaten biscuit prepared for him."
• "With their brains we made a paste which, together with "hardtack," resulted in a delicious sandwich, resembling pâté de foie gras."