tough

[tough]

The adjective tough is good for describing hard times. If you just got mugged, lost your job, got the flu, and broke your toe, you're having a really tough week.

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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.

Noun
a cruel and brutal fellow

Noun
an aggressive and violent young criminal

Noun
someone who learned to fight in the streets rather than being formally trained in the sport of boxing

Adjective S.
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"

Adjective S.
substantially made or constructed; "sturdy steel shelves"; "sturdy canvas"; "a tough all-weather fabric"; "some plastics are as tough as metal"

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Adjective S.
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"

Adjective S.
unfortunate or hard to bear; "had hard luck"; "a tough break"

Adjective
tough to cut or chew

Adjective
physically toughened; "the tough bottoms of his feet"

Adjective
not given to gentleness or sentimentality; "a tough character"

Adjective S.
violent and lawless; "the more ruffianly element"; "tough street gangs"


superl.
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.

superl.
Not easily broken; able to endure hardship; firm; strong; as, tough sinews.

superl.
Not easily separated; viscous; clammy; tenacious; as, tough phlegm.

superl.
Stiff; rigid; not flexible; stubborn; as, a tough bow.

superl.
Severe; violent; as, a tough storm.


Tough

Tough , a. [Compar. Tougher ; superl. Toughest.] [OE. tough, AS. t&omac;h, akin to D. taai, LG. taa, tage, tau, OHG. z&amac;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.
The basis of his character was caution combined with tough tenacity of purpose.
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.
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.

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.

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Usage Examples

Business is tough you need tough guys.

All women do have a different sense of sexuality, or sense of fun, or sense of like what's sexy or cool or tough.

For every successful actor or actress, there are countless numbers who don't make it. The name of the game is rejection. You go to an audition and you're told you're too tall or you're too Irish or your nose is not quite right. You're rejected for your education, you're rejected for this or that and it's really tough.

As someone with a deep faith in competition and the market, I also know that markets only work with tough enforcement of the rules that guarantee competition and fair play - and that the pressure to break those rules only gets stronger as the amount of money involved gets larger.

Baseball life is a tough life on the family.

As the economy faces such difficulties, more tough questions need to be asked about what the Tories would do if elected. Their ideology of free markets and small government needs challenging. That has to be part of our job.

Beating Pakistan is always special because they are a tough team and we have a bit if a history regarding Pakistan.

Misspelled Form

tough, rtough, 5tough, 6tough, ytough, gtough, rough, 5ough, 6ough, yough, gough, trough, t5ough, t6ough, tyough, tgough, tiough, t9ough, t0ough, tpough, tlough, tiugh, t9ugh, t0ugh, tpugh, tlugh, toiugh, to9ugh, to0ugh, topugh, tolugh, toyugh, to7ugh, to8ugh, toiugh, tojugh, toygh, to7gh, to8gh, toigh, tojgh, touygh, tou7gh, tou8gh, touigh, toujgh, toufgh, toutgh, touygh, touhgh, toubgh, touvgh, toufh, touth, touyh, touhh, toubh, touvh, tougfh, tougth, tougyh, toughh, tougbh, tougvh, touggh, tougyh, touguh, tougjh, tougnh, tougg, tougy, tougu, tougj, tougn, toughg, toughy, toughu, toughj, toughn.

Other Usage Examples

Few things in the world are more powerful than a positive push. A smile. A world of optimism and hope. A 'you can do it' when things are tough.

But it was this tough little character part that I was playing, a very funny little guy that I invented over a weekend, because I realized I was not contributing to the humor of this thing. And I had to do something.

Because of my faith and my imagination, I was able to enjoy my childhood, even though it was tough.

A tough lesson in life that one has to learn is that not everybody wishes you well.

Clearly this is a tough economic time, and a lot of families are hurting. So when we talk to parents, we talk about small changes for kids and things that don't cost extra money. Like adding water and eliminating sugary drinks and sodas. That's going to save money right there. Or adding a few more vegetables.

Any time you end a relationship, and everyone has ended plenty in their life, it's always a tough thing and hard to get over.

Everyone applauds each other's success in Hollywood because they know how tough it is, but it really comes down fundamentally to the process.

And when I retired, trust me, not only did Nolan Ryan, but the entire Ryan family had withdrawals from baseball. And it was tough.

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