tough
Etymology

From Middle English tough, towgh, tou, toȝ, from Old English tōh, from Proto-West Germanic *tą̄h(ī), from Proto-Germanic *tanhuz, from Proto-Indo-European *denḱ-.

Cognate with Scots teuch, tūch, Dutch taai, Low German tage, taag, taë, taa ("tough"), German zäh, dialectal German zach ("tough; boring").

Pronunciation Adjective

tough (comparative tougher, superlative toughest)

  1. (of a material) Strong and resilient; sturdy.
    The tent, made of tough canvas, held up to many abuses.
  2. (of food) Difficult to cut or chew.
    To soften a tough cut of meat, the recipe suggested simmering it for hours.
  3. (of a person or animal) Rugged or physically hardy.
    Only a tough species will survive in the desert.
  4. (of a person) Stubborn or persistent; capable of stubbornness or persistence.
    He had a reputation as a tough negotiator.
  5. (of weather, etc.) Harsh or severe.
  6. Rowdy or rough.
    A bunch of the tough boys from the wrong side of the tracks threatened him.
  7. (of questions, etc.) Difficult or demanding.
    This is a tough crowd.
  8. (material science) Undergoing plastic deformation before breaking.
  9. Strict, not lenient.
    tough on crime
Translations Translations Translations Translations Translations Translations Interjection
  1. (slang) Used to indicate lack of sympathy
    If you don't like it, tough!
Translations Noun

tough (plural toughs)

  1. A person who obtains things by force; a thug or bully.
    They were doing fine until they encountered a bunch of toughs from the opposition.
Translations Verb

tough (toughs, present participle toughing; simple past and past participle toughed)

  1. To endure.
  2. To toughen.



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