Adjacent Words

Strong definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

STRONG, a. [G., L. The sense of the radical word is to stretch, strain, draw, and probably from the root of stretch and reach.]
1. Having physical active power, or great physical power; having the power of exerting great bodily force; vigorous. A patient is recovering from sickness, but is not yet strong enough to walk. A strong man will lift twice his own weight.
That our oxen may be strong to labor. Psalms 144.
Orses the strong to greater strength must yield.
2. Having physical passive power; having ability to bear or endure; firm; solid; as a constitution strong enough to bear the fatigues of a campaign.
3. Well fortified; able to sustain attacks; not easily subdued or taken; as a strong fortress or town.
4. Having great military or naval force; powerful; as a strong army or fleet; a strong nation; a nation strong at sea.
5. Having great wealth, means or resources; as a strong house or company of merchants.
6. Moving with rapidity; violent; forcible; impetuous; as a strong current of water or wind; the wind was strong from the northeast; we had a strong tide against us.
7. Hale; sound; robust; as a strong constitution.
8. Powerful; forcible; cogent; adapted to make a deep or effectual impression on the mind or imagination; as a strong argument; strong reasons; strong evidence; a strong example or instance. He used strong language.
9. Ardent; eager; zealous; earnestly engaged; as a strong partisan; a strong whig or tory.
Her mother, ever strong against that match--
10. Having virtues of great efficacy; or having a particular quality in a great degree; as a strong powder or tincture; a strong decoction; strong tea; strong coffee.
11. Full of spirit; intoxicating; as strong liquors.
12. Affecting the sight forcibly; as strong colors.
13. Affecting the taste forcibly; as the strong flavor of onions.
14. Affecting the smell powerfully; as a strong scent.
15. Not of easy digestion; solid; as strong meat. Hebrews 5.
16. Well established; firm; not easily overthrown or altered; as a custom grown strong by time.
17. Violent; vehement; earnest.
Who in the day of his flesh, when he offered up prayers with strong crying and tears-- Hebrews 5.
18. Able; furnished with abilities.
I was stronger in prophecy than in criticism.
19. Having great force of mind, of intellect or of any faculty; as a man of strong powers of mind; a man of a strong mind or intellect; a man of strong memory, judgment or imagination.
20. Having great force; comprising much in few words.
Like her sweet voice is thy harmonious song, as high, as sweet, as easy and as strong.
21. Bright; glaring; vivid; as a strong light.
22. Powerful to the extent of force named; as an army ten thousand strong.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: having strength or power greater than average or expected; "a strong radio signal"; "strong medicine"; "a strong man" [ant: weak]
2: not faint or feeble; "a strong odor of burning rubber"
3: having or wielding force or authority; "providing the ground soldier with increasingly potent weapons" [syn: potent, strong]
4: having a strong physiological or chemical effect; "a potent toxin"; "potent liquor"; "a potent cup of tea", "a stiff drink" [syn: potent, strong, stiff] [ant: impotent]
5: immune to attack; incapable of being tampered with; "an impregnable fortress"; "fortifications that made the frontier inviolable"; "a secure telephone connection" [syn: impregnable, inviolable, secure, strong, unassailable, unattackable]
6: of good quality and condition; solidly built; "a solid foundation"; "several substantial timber buildings" [syn: solid, strong, substantial]
7: of verbs not having standard (or regular) inflection; "`sing' is a strong verb"
8: being distilled rather than fermented; having a high alcoholic content; "hard liquor" [syn: hard, strong]
9: freshly made or left; "a warm trail"; "the scent is warm" [syn: strong, warm]
10: strong and sure; "a firm grasp"; "gave a strong pull on the rope" [syn: firm, strong]

Merriam Webster's

adjective (stronger; strongest) Etymology: Middle English, from Old English strang; akin to Old High German strengi strong, Latin stringere to bind tight — more at strain Date: before 12th century 1. having or marked by great physical power 2. having moral or intellectual power 3. having great resources (as of wealth or talent) 4. of a specified number <an army ten thousand strong> 5. a. striking or superior of its kind <a strong resemblance> b. effective or efficient especially in a specified direction <strong on watching other people work — A. Alvarez> 6. forceful, cogent <strong evidence> <strong talk> 7. not mild or weak ; extreme, intense: as a. rich in some active agent <strong beer> b. of a color high in chroma c. ionizing freely in solution <strong acids and bases> d. magnifying by refracting greatly <a strong lens> 8. obsolete flagrant 9. moving with rapidity or force <a strong wind> 10. ardent, zealous <a strong supporter> 11. a. not easily injured or disturbed ; solid b. not easily subdued or taken <a strong fort> 12. well established ; firm <strong beliefs> 13. not easily upset or nauseated <a strong stomach> 14. having an offensive or intense odor or flavor ; rank <strong breath> 15. tending to steady or higher prices <a strong market> 16. of, relating to, or being a verb that is inflected by a change in the root vowel (as strive, strove, striven) rather than by regular affixation • strong adverb • strongish adjective • strongly adverb Synonyms: strong, stout, sturdy, stalwart, tough, tenacious mean showing power to resist or to endure. strong may imply power derived from muscular vigor, large size, structural soundness, intellectual or spiritual resources <strong arms> <the defense has a strong case>. stout suggests an ability to endure stress, pain, or hard use without giving way <stout hiking boots>. sturdy implies strength derived from vigorous growth, determination of spirit, solidity of construction <a sturdy table> <people of sturdy independence>. stalwart suggests an unshakable dependability <stalwart environmentalists>. tough implies great firmness and resiliency <a tough political opponent>. tenacious suggests strength in seizing, retaining, clinging to, or holding together <tenacious farmers clinging to an age-old way of life>.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. & adv. --adj. (stronger; strongest) 1 having the power of resistance; able to withstand great force or opposition; not easily damaged or overcome (strong material; strong faith; a strong character). 2 (of a person's constitution) able to overcome, or not liable to, disease. 3 (of a person's nerves) proof against fright, irritation, etc. 4 (of a patient) restored to health. 5 (of a market) having steadily high or rising prices. 6 capable of exerting great force or of doing much; muscular, powerful. 7 forceful or powerful in effect (a strong wind; a strong protest). 8 decided or firmly held (a strong suspicion; strong views). 9 (of an argument etc.) convincing or striking. 10 powerfully affecting the senses or emotions (a strong light; strong acting). 11 powerful in terms of size or numbers or quality (a strong army). 12 capable of doing much when united (a strong combination). 13 formidable; likely to succeed (a strong candidate). 14 (of a solution or drink etc.) containing a large proportion of a substance in water or another solvent (strong tea). 15 Chem. (of an acid or base) fully ionized into cations and anions in aqueous solution. 16 (of a group) having a specified number (200 strong). 17 (of a voice) loud or penetrating. 18 (of food or its flavour) pungent. 19 (of a person's breath) ill-smelling. 20 (of a literary style) vivid and terse. 21 (of a measure) drastic. 22 Gram. in Germanic languages: a (of a verb) forming inflections by change of vowel within the stem rather than by the addition of a suffix (e.g. swim, swam). b (of a noun or adjective) belonging to a declension in which the stem originally ended otherwise than in -n (opp. WEAK 9). --adv. strongly (the tide is running strong). Phrases and idioms: come it strong colloq. go to great lengths; use exaggeration. going strong colloq. continuing action vigorously; in good health or trim. strong-arm using force (strong-arm tactics). strong drink see DRINK. strong grade the stressed ablaut-form. strong interaction Physics interaction between certain elementary particles that is very strong but is effective only at short distances. strong language forceful language; swearing. strong meat a doctrine or action acceptable only to vigorous or instructed minds. strong-minded having determination. strong-mindedness determination. strong point 1 a thing at which one excels. 2 a specially fortified defensive position. strong stomach a stomach not easily affected by nausea. strong suit 1 a suit at cards in which one can take tricks. 2 a thing at which one excels. Derivatives: strongish adj. strongly adv. Etymology: OE f. Gmc: cf. STRING

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Strong Strong, a. [Compar. Stronger; superl. Strongest.] [AS. strang, strong; akin to D. & G. streng strict, rigorous, OHG. strengi strong, brave, harsh, Icel. strangr strong, severe, Dan. streng, Sw. str["a]ng strict, severe. Cf. Strength, Stretch, String.] 1. Having active physical power, or great physical power to act; having a power of exerting great bodily force; vigorous. That our oxen may be strong to labor. --Ps. cxliv. 14. Orses the strong to greater strength must yield. --Dryden. 2. Having passive physical power; having ability to bear or endure; firm; hale; sound; robust; as, a strong constitution; strong health. 3. Solid; tough; not easily broken or injured; able to withstand violence; able to sustain attacks; not easily subdued or taken; as, a strong beam; a strong rock; a strong fortress or town. 4. Having great military or naval force; powerful; as, a strong army or fleet; a nation strong at sea. 5. Having great wealth, means, or resources; as, a strong house, or company of merchants. 6. Reaching a certain degree or limit in respect to strength or numbers; as, an army ten thousand strong. 7. Moving with rapidity or force; violent; forcible; impetuous; as, a strong current of water or wind; the wind was strong from the northeast; a strong tide. 8. Adapted to make a deep or effectual impression on the mind or imagination; striking or superior of the kind; powerful; forcible; cogent; as, a strong argument; strong reasons; strong evidence; a strong example; strong language. 9. Ardent; eager; zealous; earnestly engaged; as, a strong partisan; a strong Whig or Tory. Her mother, ever strong against that match. --Shak. 10. Having virtues of great efficacy; or, having a particular quality in a great degree; as, a strong powder or tincture; a strong decoction; strong tea or coffee. 11. Full of spirit; containing a large proportion of alcohol; intoxicating; as, strong liquors. 12. Affecting any sense powerfully; as, strong light, colors, etc.; a strong flavor of onions; a strong scent. 13. Solid; nourishing; as, strong meat. --Heb. v. 12. 14. Well established; firm; not easily overthrown or altered; as, a strong custom; a strong belief. 15. Violent; vehement; earnest; ardent. He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears. --Heb. v. 7. 16. Having great force, vigor, power, or the like, as the mind, intellect, or any faculty; as, a man of a strong mind, memory, judgment, or imagination. I was stronger in prophecy than in criticism. --Dryden. 17. Vigorous; effective; forcible; powerful. Like her sweet voice is thy harmonious song, As high, as sweet, as easy, and as strong. --E. Smith. 18. (Stock Exchange) Tending to higher prices; rising; as, a strong market. 19. (Gram.) (a) Pertaining to, or designating, a verb which forms its preterit (imperfect) by a variation in the root vowel, and the past participle (usually) by the addition of -en (with or without a change of the root vowel); as in the verbs strive, strove, striven; break, broke, broken; drink, drank, drunk. Opposed to weak, or regular. See Weak. (b) Applied to forms in Anglo-Saxon, etc., which retain the old declensional endings. In the Teutonic languages the vowel stems have held the original endings most firmly, and are called strong; the stems in -n are called weak other constant stems conform, or are irregular. --F. A. March. Strong conjugation (Gram.), the conjugation of a strong verb; -- called also old, or irregular, conjugation, and distinguished from the weak, or regular, conjugation. Note: Strong is often used in the formation of self-explaining compounds; as, strong-backed, strong-based, strong-bodied, strong-colored, strong-fisted, strong-handed, strong-ribbed, strong-smelling, strong-voiced, etc. Syn: Vigorous; powerful; stout; solid; firm; hardy; muscular; forcible; cogent; valid. See Robust.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(stronger, strongest) Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. Someone who is strong is healthy with good muscles and can move or carry heavy things, or do hard physical work. I'm not strong enough to carry him... I feared I wouldn't be able to control such a strong horse. ? weak ADJ 2. Someone who is strong is confident and determined, and is not easily influenced or worried by other people. He is sharp and manipulative with a strong personality... It's up to managers to be strong and do what they believe is right... ? weak ADJ 3. Strong objects or materials are not easily broken and can support a lot of weight or resist a lot of strain. The vacuum flask has a strong casing, which won't crack or chip... Glue the mirror in with a strong adhesive... ? weak ADJ • strongly The fence was very strongly built, with very large posts. ADV: ADV -ed 4. A strong wind, current, or other force has a lot of power or speed, and can cause heavy things to move. Strong winds and torrential rain combined to make conditions terrible for golfers in the Scottish Open... A fairly strong current seemed to be moving the whole boat... = powerful ADJ • strongly The metal is strongly attracted to the surface. ADV: ADV with v 5. A strong impression or influence has a great effect on someone. We're glad if our music makes a strong impression, even if it's a negative one... Teenage idols have a strong influence on our children... ADJ • strongly He is strongly influenced by Spanish painters such as Goya and El Greco... ADV: ADV with v 6. If you have strong opinions on something or express them using strong words, you have extreme or very definite opinions which you are willing to express or defend. She is known to hold strong views on Cuba... There has been strong criticism of the military regime... It condemned in extremely strong language what it called Britain's iniquitous campaign... ADJ: usu ADJ n • strongly Obviously you feel very strongly about this... We are strongly opposed to the presence of America in this region... ADV: usu ADV with v 7. If someone in authority takes strong action, they act firmly and severely. The government has said it will take strong action against any further strikes... ADJ: usu ADJ n 8. If there is a strong case or argument for something, it is supported by a lot of evidence. The testimony presented offered a strong case for acquitting her on grounds of self-defense... The evidence that such investment promotes growth is strong... ADJ • strongly He argues strongly for retention of NATO as a guarantee of peace... These are conditions said by doctors to be strongly indicative of heart failure. ADV: ADV with v, ADV adj/adv 9. If there is a strong possibility or chance that something is true or will happen, it is very likely to be true or to happen. There is a strong possibility that the cat contracted the condition by eating contaminated pet food. ADJ 10. Your strong points are your best qualities or talents, or the things you are good at. Discretion is not Jeremy's strong point... Cynics argue that the EU is stronger on rhetoric than on concrete action. ADJ: ADJ n, v-link ADJ on n 11. A strong competitor, candidate, or team is good or likely to succeed. She was a strong contender for Britain's Olympic team... ADJ: usu ADJ n 12. If a relationship or link is strong, it is close and likely to last for a long time. He felt he had a relationship strong enough to talk frankly to Sarah... Delhi first began to develop strong ties with Moscow in the 1950s. ADJ 13. A strong currency, economy, or industry has a high value or is very successful. The US dollar continued its strong performance in Tokyo today... The local economy is strong and the population is growing... = robust ? weak ADJ 14. If something is a strong element or part of something else, it is an important or large part of it. We are especially encouraged by the strong representation, this year, of women in information technology disciplines... ADJ 15. You can use strong when you are saying how many people there are in a group. For example, if a group is twenty strong, there are twenty people in it. Ukraine indicated that it would establish its own army, 400,000 strong. ...a 1,000-strong crowd. ADJ: num ADJ 16. A strong drink, chemical, or drug contains a lot of the particular substance which makes it effective. Strong coffee or tea late at night may cause sleeplessness... ADJ 17. A strong colour, flavour, smell, sound, or light is intense and easily noticed. As she went past there was a gust of strong perfume... The wine goes with strong and mild cheese alike. ADJ • strongly He leaned over her, smelling strongly of sweat... ADV: ADV with v 18. If someone has a strong accent, they speak in a distinctive way that shows very clearly what country or region they come from. 'Good, Mr Ryle,' he said in English with a strong French accent. = pronounced ? slight ADJ 19. You can say that someone has strong features or a strong face if their face has large, distinctive features. He had a strong Greek nose and olive-black eyes. ADJ 20. If someone or something is still going strong, they are still alive, in good condition, or popular after a long time. (INFORMAL) The old machinery was still going strong. PHRASE: v-link PHR

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

a. 1. Vigorous, robust, sturdy, athletic, brawny, sinewy, muscular, stalwart, Herculean, able-bodied, hardy, stout, lusty, powerful. 2. hale, sound, robust, firm, solid, able to endure, healthy, hardy, stout, tough. 3. Able, capable, efficient, mighty, potent, powerful, puissant. 4. Firm, solid, compact, impregnable, secure, well fortified. 5. Energetic, vivid, intense, forcible, bold. 6. Violent, impetuous, vehement, forcible. 7. Pungent, piquant, biting, sharp, racy, spicy, hot, high-flavored. 8. Rank, strong-smelling. 9. Tenacious, tough, cohesive, resisting, stubborn, firm, compact. 10. Cogent, forcible, impressive, conclusive, persuasive, powerful, influential. 11. Ardent, eager, zealous, hearty earnest, strenuous, stanch. 12. Potent. 13. Vivid, intense, brilliant, dazzling. 14. Alcoholic (in a high degree), intoxicating. 15. Substantial, solid, difficult to digest. 16. Valid, confirmed, binding. 17. Firm, sound, stout, stanch.

Moby Thesaurus

Draconian, able, able-bodied, accented, acid, acrid, active, acute, adamantine, affluent, aggressive, aggressively, alcoholic, alveolar, animated, antagonistically, apical, apico-alveolar, apico-dental, ardent, armipotent, aromatic, articulated, assertive, assiduous, assimilated, athletic, authoritative, back, bad, bad-smelling, balanced, barytone, basic, beefy, bilabial, biting, blinding, blown, bold, bouncing, brawny, bright, brilliant, brisk, broad, bulky, burly, cacuminal, capable, cartilaginous, central, cerebral, charismatic, charming, checked, chewy, clear, clear-cut, close, cogent, cohesive, combative, compelling, competent, comprehensive, concentrated, conclusive, consequential, considerable, consonant, consonantal, continuant, convincing, coriaceous, corrosive, craggy, cutting, dazzling, dedicated, deep, deep-felt, deep-rooted, defensive, definite, dense, dental, determined, difficult, diligent, dissimilated, distinct, doctrinaire, dogmatic, dorsal, doughty, drastic, driving, durable, dynamic, eager, earnest, effective, effectual, efficacious, efficient, emotional, emphatic, enchanting, enduring, energetic, engraved, enterprising, enthusiastic, estimable, etched, exhaustive, experienced, extreme, fast, fecal, fervent, fervid, fetid, fibrous, firm, flat, flourishing, flush, forceful, forcible, forcy, formidable, foul, fragrant, front, frowsty, frowy, frowzy, full, full of pep, full-blooded, full-bodied, full-strength, fulsome, funky, fusty, gamy, garish, glaring, glide, glossal, glottal, go-go, good, grand, graphic, grave, graveolent, great, gristly, gutsy, guttural, gutty, hale, hale and hearty, hard, hard as nails, hard-nosed, hard-working, hardy, harsh, heady, hearty, heavy, hefty, heroic, high, high-handed, high-potency, high-powered, high-pressure, high-tasted, high-tension, hot, husky, ill-smelling, imperative, impetuous, important, impressed, impressive, imprinted, in force, in power, incisive, indefatigable, influential, intense, intensified, intonated, iron-hard, irrefutable, irresistible, keen, kinetic, knowledgeable, labial, labiodental, labiovelar, large, lasting, lateral, lax, leatherlike, leathery, light, likely, lingual, liquid, lively, living, low, lusty, magnetic, main, malodorous, marked, massive, maximum, mephitic, mettlesome, miasmal, miasmic, mid, mighty, mighty in battle, mildewed, mildewy, moldy, momentous, monophthongal, mordant, muscular, musty, muted, narrow, nasal, nasalized, nervous, nervy, nidorous, noisome, numerous, obstinate, occlusive, odoriferous, odorous, off, offensive, offensively, olid, open, operative, opinionated, overbearingly, overenthusiastically, oxytone, palatal, palatalized, passionate, penetrating, peppy, persistent, personable, persuasive, pharyngeal, pharyngealized, phonemic, phonetic, phonic, piercing, piquant, pitch, pitched, plenary, poignant, posttonic, potent, powerful, prepotent, prestigious, profound, pronounced, prosperous, puissant, punchy, pungent, pushy, putrescent, putrid, qualified, rabid, rancid, rank, reasonable, reasty, reasy, recalcitrant, red-blooded, redoubtable, reechy, reeking, reeky, regular, reinforced, repulsive, reputable, resistant, resolute, retroflex, rich, rigorous, robust, robustious, robustuous, ropy, rotten, rough, rounded, rude, rugged, ruling, secure, sedulous, self-willed, semivowel, sensational, serious, severe, sharp, sinewed, sinewy, sizeable, skilled, slashing, smacking, smellful, smelling, smelly, snappy, soft, solid, solvent, sonant, sound, sour, soured, spanking, spicy, spirited, spirituous, stable, stale, stalwart, stark, staunch, steadfast, steady, steely, stenchy, stiff, stinking, stopped, stout, straight, strapping, strenuous, stressed, striking, stringent, stringy, strong as brandy, strong as strong, strong-flavored, strong-minded, strong-scented, strong-smelling, strong-tasting, strong-willed, stubborn, stuffy, sturdy, suasive, substantial, suffocating, sulfurous, surd, syllabic, tainted, take-charge, take-over, talented, telling, tenacious, tense, the same, thick, thriving, throaty, tireless, tonal, tonic, total, tough, tough as leather, trained, trenchant, truculently, true-blue, turned, twangy, two-handed, unaccented, uncompromising, undiluted, unfailing, unflagging, unmistakable, unmixed, unmoving, unrounded, unstressed, unswerving, untiring, unvarying, unwavering, unyielding, urgent, valid, vehement, velar, vibrant, vigorous, vile, vinous, viscid, vital, vivacious, vivid, vocalic, vocoid, voiced, voiceless, vowel, vowellike, weak, weather-beaten, weighty, well-built, well-constructed, well-established, well-founded, well-grounded, well-made, well-versed, wide, wieldy, winning, winy, wiry, with a kick, zealous, zestful, zesty, zippy