tough
14 ENTRIES FOUND:
tougher;
toughest
tougher;
toughest
Britannica Dictionary definition of TOUGH
1
:
very difficult to do or deal with
— often followed by to + verb
-
a tough [=hard] assignment/problem
-
tough choices
-
She had a tough time in college.
-
It's been a tough year for our family. = This year has been tough on [=hard on] our family.
-
It was tough to quit smoking.
-
The problem was tough to solve.
2
a
:
physically and emotionally strong
:
able to do hard work, to deal with harsh conditions, etc.
-
tough soldiers
-
Are you tough enough for the job?
b
:
physically strong and violent
-
tough criminals
-
He's been hanging around with a bunch of tough guys.
3
a
:
strong and not easily broken or damaged
-
tough fibers
-
The rug is made of tough material.
b
:
difficult to cut or chew
4
:
very strict
-
a tough law/policy
-
He's a tough boss/teacher, but fair.
-
The candidates both vow to get tough on crime. [=to deal harshly with criminals]
5
:
having a lot of crime or danger
-
a tough neighborhood
6
:
hard to influence or persuade
-
She's a tough bargainer/negotiator.
7
informal
:
unfortunate in a way that seems unfair
— often used in an ironic way to show that you do not feel sympathy for someone
—
see also tough luck at 1luck
-
It's tough that he lost that job.
-
“He failed the test.” “Well, that's tough. Maybe if he'd studied a little he would have passed.”
-
He failed the test? Tough! [=too bad] He should have studied more than he did.
(as) tough as nails
(as) tough as old boots
British, informal
:
very tough
-
This steak is as tough as old boots.
-
Don't worry about her—she's as tough as old boots.
a tough act to follow
a tough nut (to crack)
a tough row to hoe
hang tough
— toughly
adverb— toughness
noun [noncount]
2
tough
/ˈtʌf/
verb
toughs;
toughed;
toughing
2
tough
/ˈtʌf/
verb
toughs;
toughed;
toughing
Britannica Dictionary definition of TOUGH
tough it out
informal
:
to deal with a difficult situation by being determined and refusing to quit
-
She hated her job, but she toughed it out until she found a better one.
-
Can you tough it out until the end of the game?
3
tough
/ˈtʌf/
noun
plural
toughs
3
tough
/ˈtʌf/
noun
plural
toughs
Britannica Dictionary definition of TOUGH
[count]
informal + old-fashioned
:
a tough and violent person
4
tough
/ˈtʌf/
adverb
4
tough
/ˈtʌf/
adverb
Britannica Dictionary definition of TOUGH
:
in a way that shows that you are strong or tough
-
play tough
-
He talks tough but he's not really dangerous.
