Search Result for "tough": 
Wordnet 3.0

NOUN (3)

1. someone who learned to fight in the streets rather than being formally trained in the sport of boxing;
[syn: street fighter, tough]

2. an aggressive and violent young criminal;
[syn: hood, hoodlum, goon, punk, thug, tough, toughie, strong-armer]

3. a cruel and brutal fellow;
[syn: bully, tough, hooligan, ruffian, roughneck, rowdy, yob, yobo, yobbo]


ADJECTIVE (9)

1. not given to gentleness or sentimentality;
- Example: "a tough character"

2. very difficult; severely testing stamina or resolution;
- Example: "a rugged competitive examination"
- Example: "the rugged conditions of frontier life"
- Example: "the competition was tough"
- Example: "it's a tough life"
- Example: "it was a tough job"
[syn: rugged, tough]

3. physically toughened;
- Example: "the tough bottoms of his feet"
[syn: tough, toughened]

4. substantially made or constructed;
- Example: "sturdy steel shelves"
- Example: "sturdy canvas"
- Example: "a tough all-weather fabric"
- Example: "some plastics are as tough as metal"
[syn: sturdy, tough]

5. violent and lawless;
- Example: "the more ruffianly element"
- Example: "tough street gangs"
[syn: ruffianly, tough]

6. feeling physical discomfort or pain (`tough'; is occasionally used colloquially for `bad');
- Example: "my throat feels bad"
- Example: "she felt bad all over"
- Example: "he was feeling tough after a restless night"
[syn: bad, tough]

7. resistant to cutting or chewing;

8. unfortunate or hard to bear;
- Example: "had hard luck"
- Example: "a tough break"
[syn: hard, tough]

9. making great mental demands; hard to comprehend or solve or believe;
- Example: "a baffling problem"
- Example: "I faced the knotty problem of what to have for breakfast"
- Example: "a problematic situation at home"
[syn: baffling, elusive, knotty, problematic, problematical, tough]



The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Tough \Tough\, a. [Compar. Tougher; superl. Toughest.] [OE.
   tough, AS. t[=o]h, akin to D. taai, LG. taa, tage, tau, OHG.
   z[=a]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.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Not easily broken; able to endure hardship; firm; strong;
      -- of objects and people; as, tough sinews. --Cowper.
      [1913 Webster]

            A body made of brass, the crone demands, . . .
            Tough to the last, and with no toil to tire.
                                                  --Dryden.
      [1913 Webster]

            The basis of his character was caution combined with
            tough tenacity of purpose.            --J. A.
                                                  Symonds.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. Not easily separated; viscous; clammy; tenacious; as,
      tough phlegm.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. Stiff; rigid; not flexible; stubborn; as, a tough bow.
      [1913 Webster]

            So tough a frame she could not bend.  --Dryden.
      [1913 Webster]

   5. Severe; violent; as, a tough storm. [Colloq.] " A tough
      debate. " --Fuller.
      [1913 Webster]

   6. Difficult to do, perform, or accomplish; as, a tough job.
      [PJC]

   7. Prone to aggressive or violent behavior; rowdyish; -- of
      people, or groups; as, a tough neighborhood; a tough
      character.
      [PJC]

   To make it tough, to make it a matter of difficulty; to
      make it a hard matter. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
      [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

tough \tough\, n.
   A person who is tough[7]; a ruffian; a thug; as, a cluster of
   neighborhood toughs hanging out on the corner.
   [PJC]


WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

tough
    adj 1: not given to gentleness or sentimentality; "a tough
           character" [ant: tender]
    2: 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" [syn: rugged, tough]
    3: physically toughened; "the tough bottoms of his feet" [syn:
       tough, toughened] [ant: tender, untoughened]
    4: substantially made or constructed; "sturdy steel shelves";
       "sturdy canvas"; "a tough all-weather fabric"; "some plastics
       are as tough as metal" [syn: sturdy, tough]
    5: violent and lawless; "the more ruffianly element"; "tough
       street gangs" [syn: ruffianly, tough]
    6: 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" [syn: bad, tough]
    7: resistant to cutting or chewing [ant: tender]
    8: unfortunate or hard to bear; "had hard luck"; "a tough break"
       [syn: hard, tough]
    9: making great mental demands; hard to comprehend or solve or
       believe; "a baffling problem"; "I faced the knotty problem of
       what to have for breakfast"; "a problematic situation at
       home" [syn: baffling, elusive, knotty, problematic,
       problematical, tough]
    n 1: someone who learned to fight in the streets rather than
         being formally trained in the sport of boxing [syn: street
         fighter, tough]
    2: an aggressive and violent young criminal [syn: hood,
       hoodlum, goon, punk, thug, tough, toughie,
       strong-armer]
    3: a cruel and brutal fellow [syn: bully, tough, hooligan,
       ruffian, roughneck, rowdy, yob, yobo, yobbo]