Adjacent Words

Tough definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

TOUGH, a. tuf.
1. Having the quality of flexibility without brittleness; yielding to force without breaking. The ligaments of animals and of India rubber are remarkably tough. Tough timber, like young ash, is the most proper for the shafts and springs of a carriage.
2. Firm; strong; not easily broken; able to endure hardship; as an animal of a tough frame.
3. Not easily separated; viscous; clammy; tenacious; ropy; as tough phlegm.
4. Stiff; not flexible.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: not given to gentleness or sentimentality; "a tough character" [ant: tender]
2: very difficult; severely testing stamina or resolution; "a rugged competitive examination"; "the rugged conditions of frontier life"; "the competition was tough"; "it's a tough life"; "it was a tough job" [syn: rugged, tough]
3: physically toughened; "the tough bottoms of his feet" [syn: tough, toughened] [ant: tender, untoughened]
4: substantially made or constructed; "sturdy steel shelves"; "sturdy canvas"; "a tough all-weather fabric"; "some plastics are as tough as metal" [syn: sturdy, tough]
5: violent and lawless; "the more ruffianly element"; "tough street gangs" [syn: ruffianly, tough]
6: feeling physical discomfort or pain (`tough' is occasionally used colloquially for `bad'); "my throat feels bad"; "she felt bad all over"; "he was feeling tough after a restless night" [syn: bad, tough]
7: resistant to cutting or chewing [ant: tender]
8: unfortunate or hard to bear; "had hard luck"; "a tough break" [syn: hard, tough]
9: making great mental demands; hard to comprehend or solve or believe; "a baffling problem"; "I faced the knotty problem of what to have for breakfast"; "a problematic situation at home" [syn: baffling, elusive, knotty, problematic, problematical, tough] n
1: someone who learned to fight in the streets rather than being formally trained in the sport of boxing [syn: street fighter, tough]
2: an aggressive and violent young criminal [syn: hood, hoodlum, goon, punk, thug, tough, toughie, strong-armer]
3: a cruel and brutal fellow [syn: bully, tough, hooligan, ruffian, roughneck, rowdy, yob, yobo, yobbo]

Merriam Webster's

I. adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Old English t?h; akin to Old High German z?hi tough Date: before 12th century 1. a. strong or firm in texture but flexible and not brittle b. not easily chewed <tough meat> 2. glutinous, sticky 3. characterized by severity or uncompromising determination <tough laws> <tough discipline> 4. capable of enduring strain, hardship, or severe labor <tough soldiers> 5. very hard to influence ; stubborn <a tough negotiator> 6. difficult to accomplish, resolve, endure, or deal with <a tough question> <tough luck> 7. stubbornly fought <a tough contest> 8. unruly, rowdyish <a tough gang> 9. marked by absence of softness or sentimentality <a tough critic> Synonyms: see strong • toughly adverb • toughness noun II. adverb Date: 14th century in a tough manner <talking tough> III. noun Date: 1801 a tough person ; rowdy IV. transitive verb Date: 1830 to bear unflinchingly ; endure — usually used with out especially in the phrase tough it out

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. & n. --adj. 1 hard to break, cut, tear, or chew; durable; strong. 2 (of a person) able to endure hardship; hardy. 3 unyielding, stubborn, difficult (it was a tough job; a tough customer). 4 colloq. a acting sternly; hard (get tough with). b (of circumstances, luck, etc.) severe, unpleasant, hard, unjust. 5 colloq. criminal or violent (tough guys). --n. a tough person, esp. a ruffian or criminal. Phrases and idioms: tough guy colloq. 1 a hard unyielding person. 2 a violent aggressive person. tough it (or tough it out) colloq. endure or withstand difficult conditions. tough-minded realistic, not sentimental. tough-mindedness being tough-minded. Derivatives: toughen v.tr. & intr. toughener n. toughish adj. toughly adv. toughness n. Etymology: OE toh

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Tough Tough, a. [Compar. Tougher; superl. Toughest.] [OE. tough, AS. t[=o]h, akin to D. taai, LG. taa, tage, tau, OHG. z[=a]hi, G. z[aum]he, and also to AS. getenge near to, close to, oppressive, OS. bitengi.] 1. Having the quality of flexibility without brittleness; yielding to force without breaking; capable of resisting great strain; as, the ligaments of animals are remarkably tough. ``Tough roots and stubs. '' --Milton. 2. Not easily broken; able to endure hardship; firm; strong; as, tough sinews. --Cowper. A body made of brass, the crone demands, . . . Tough to the last, and with no toil to tire. --Dryden. The basis of his character was caution combined with tough tenacity of purpose. --J. A. Symonds. 3. Not easily separated; viscous; clammy; tenacious; as, tough phlegm. 4. Stiff; rigid; not flexible; stubborn; as, a tough bow. So tough a frame she could not bend. --Dryden. 5. Severe; violent; as, a tough storm. [Colloq.] `` A tough debate. '' --Fuller. To make it tough, to make it a matter of difficulty; to make it a hard matter. [Obs.] --Chaucer.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(tougher, toughest, toughs) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. A tough person is strong and determined, and can tolerate difficulty or suffering. He built up a reputation as a tough businessman... She is tough and ambitious. ADJ • toughness Mrs Potter has won a reputation for toughness and determination on her way to the top. 2. If you describe someone as tough, you mean that they are rough and violent. He had shot three people dead earning himself a reputation as a tough guy. ADJ • A tough is a tough person. Three burly toughs elbowed their way to the front. N-COUNT 3. A tough place or area is considered to have a lot of crime and violence. She doesn't seem cut out for this tough neighbourhood... = rough ADJ: usu ADJ n 4. A tough way of life or period of time is difficult or full of suffering. He was having a really tough time at work. = rough ADJ: usu ADJ n 5. A tough task or problem is difficult to do or solve. It was a very tough decision but we feel we made the right one... = hard ADJ: oft it v-link ADJ to-inf, ADJ to-inf 6. Tough policies or actions are strict and firm. He is known for taking a tough line on security... = strong ADJ 7. A tough substance is strong, and difficult to break, cut, or tear. In industry, diamond can form a tough, non-corrosive coating for tools. ADJ 8. Tough meat is difficult to cut and chew. The steak was tough and the peas were like bullets. ADJ 9. If someone who is trying to achieve something hangs tough, they remain determined and do not give up, even when there are difficulties or problems. (AM INFORMAL) The White House is hanging tough for a good agreement to be reached. PHRASE: V inflects

Moby Thesaurus

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