Tough
Tough , adjective
[Old English tough, Anglo-Saxon tōh, akin to Dutch taai, LG. taa, tage, tau, Old High German zāhi, German zahe, and also to Anglo-Saxon getenge near to, close to, oppressive, Old Saxon 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.
2.
Not easily broken; able to endure hardship; firm; strong; -- of objects and people; 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. [Colloquial]
A tough debate.
6.
Difficult to do, perform, or accomplish; as, a tough job.
7.
Prone to aggressive or violent behavior; rowdyish; -- of people, or groups; as, a tough neighborhood; a tough character.
Collocations (1)
To make it tough , to make it a matter of difficulty; to make it a hard matter. [Obsolete] — Chaucer
tough , noun
A person who is tough{7}; a ruffian; a thug; as, a cluster of neighborhood toughs hanging out on the corner.