English Explanatory Dictionary

tough

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Strong and resilient; sturdy.
  2. Difficult to cut or chew.
  3. Rugged or physically hardy.
  4. Stubborn or persistent; capable of stubbornness or persistence.
  5. Harsh or severe.
  6. Rowdy or rough.
  7. Difficult or demanding.
  8. Undergoing plastic deformation before breaking.
  9. Strict, not lenient.
intj
  1. Used to indicate lack of sympathy
noun
  1. A person who obtains things by force; a thug or bully.
verb
  1. To endure.
  2. To toughen.
name
  1. A surname.

Pronunciation

/tʌf/ en-us-tough.ogg /tɐf/ /tʊf/

Word forms

tough tougher toughest tuff toughs toughing toughed

Etymology

From Middle English tough, towgh, tou, toȝ, from Old English tōh (“tough, tenacious, holding fast together; pliant; sticky, glutinous, clammy”), from Proto-West Germanic *tą̄h(ī), from Proto-Germanic *tanhuz (“fitting; clinging; tenacious; tough”), from *tinganą (“to press upon, throng”), from Proto-Indo-European *denḱ- (“to bite”). Cognates Cognate with Saterland Frisian toai (“tough”), Bavarian zaach, zach (“tough”), Dutch taai (“tough”), German zäh, zähe (“tough”), Limburgish tiee (“tough”), Luxembourgish zéi (“tough”); also Ancient Greek δάκνω (dáknō, “to bite”), Albanian danë, darë (“tongs; pincers; pliers”), Sanskrit दशति (daśati, “to bite”).

Synonyms

robust stout adamantine concrete firm granitic grim hard inflexible lithic resistant rigid solid stiff sturdy stony tough unbending unyielding unchewable hardy vigorous hardheaded tenacious adamant ardent bent on bloody-minded bullheaded certain chronic confirmed determined diehard dogged hard-hearted hard-nosed headstrong immovable incalcitrant irrefragable insistent intractable intransigent intrepid inveterate mulish obdurate obstinate obstreperous peevish peremptory persistent pertinacious pigheaded recalcitrant refractory resolute resolved self-willed

Related words

Kirkton of Tough

Derived words

do it tough hang tough semitough supertough tough act to follow tough ask tough as nails tough as old boots tough as teak tough bananas tough break tough-cake tough call tough case tough cookie tough cookies tough crowd toughen tough going tough guy tough-guy tough-guyness toughie toughish tough love tough-love tough luck toughly tough-minded toughness tough noogies tough nut tough nut to crack tough on crime tough pill to swallow tough-pitch tough road to hoe tough row to hoe tough sell tough shit tough-skinned tough sledding tough tacos tough tarts tough times tough titties tough titty tough titty said the kitty tough toenails tough toodles tough tooshie tough tuchus tough tushie toughy ultratough when the going gets tough, the tough get going tough out tough it out
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