Emerging plane passengers are so hard up (4,3,3)
I believe the answer is:
down and out
This might be a double definition.
'emerging plane passengers are' is the first definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I don't understand how one could define the other.
'hard up' is the second definition.
Both the answer and definition are adjectives. Maybe you can see a link between them that I don't see?
'so' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for down and out that I've seen before include "staying put on the canvas?" , "destitute" , "unable to fight any further?" , "in Paris and London, perhaps" , "Unfortunate" .)