HyperDic: tough

English > 12 senses of the word tough:
ADJECTIVEalltoughnot given to gentleness or sentimentality
alltough, ruggedvery difficult
alltough, toughenedphysically toughened
alltough, sturdysubstantially made or constructed
alltough, ruffianlyviolent and lawless
alltough, badfeeling physical discomfort or pain ('tough' is occasionally used colloquially for 'bad')
alltoughresistant to cutting or chewing
alltough, hardunfortunate / unfortunate or hard to bear
alltough, baffling, elusive, knotty, problematic, problematicalmaking great mental demands
NOUNperson tough, street fightersomeone who learned to fight in the streets rather than being formally trained in the sport of boxing
person tough, hood, hoodlum, goon, punk, thug, toughie, strong-armeran aggressive and violent young criminal
person tough, bully, hooligan, ruffian, roughneck, rowdy, yob, yobo, yobboa cruel and brutal fellow
tough > pronunciation
Soundstah'f
Rhymesaleph ... woodruff: 40 rhymes with ahf...
English > tough: 12 senses > adjective 1
Meaningnot given to gentleness or sentimentality.
Example"a tough character"
Narrowerhard-bitten, hard-boiled, pugnacioustough and callous by virtue of experience
tough-minded, unsentimentalfacing facts or difficulties realistically and with determination
See alsoharddispassionate
insensitiveDeficient in human sensibility
Oppositetendergiven to sympathy / sympathy / sympathy or gentleness or sentimentality
Spanishduro, severo
English > tough: 12 senses > adjective 2
MeaningVery difficult; severely testing stamina or resolution.
Examples
  • "the competition was tough"
  • "it's a tough life"
  • "it was a tough job"
Synonymrugged
Broaderdifficult, hardnot easy
Nounstoughnessimpressive difficulty
English > tough: 12 senses > adjective 3
Meaningphysically toughened.
Example"the tough bottoms of his feet"
Synonymtoughened
Narrowercalloused, callous, thickenedHaving calluses
enured, inured, hardenedmade tough by habitual exposure
weather-beatentanned and coarsened from being outdoors
See alsoexperienced, experientHaving experience
ruggedsturdy / sturdy and strong in constitution or construction
strongHaving strength or power greater than average or expected
Oppositetender, untoughenedphysically untoughened
Spanishduro, endurecido, resistente
English > tough: 12 senses > adjective 4
Meaningsubstantially made or constructed.
Examples
  • "a tough all-weather fabric"
  • "some plastics are as tough as metal"
Synonymsturdy
Broaderruggedsturdy / sturdy and strong in constitution or construction
Spanishfornido, fuerte, resistente, robusto
Catalanfornit, fort, resistent, robust
Adverbstoughlyin a ruggedly tough / tough manner
English > tough: 12 senses > adjective 5
MeaningViolent and lawless.
Example "tough street gangs"
Synonymruffianly
BroaderviolentActing with or marked by or resulting from great force or energy or emotional intensity
Spanishalborotador
English > tough: 12 senses > adjective 6
MeaningFeeling physical discomfort or pain ('tough' is occasionally used colloquially for 'bad').
Example "he was feeling tough after a restless night"
Synonymbad
BroaderuncomfortableProviding or experiencing physical discomfort
Usage ofcolloquialismA colloquial expression
Spanishmal
English > tough: 12 senses > adjective 7
Meaningresistant to cutting or chewing.
Narrowercartilaginous, gristly, rubberyDifficult to chew
chewyrequiring much chewing
coriaceous, leathered, leatherlike, leatheryresembling or made to resemble leather
fibrous, sinewy, stringy, unchewable(of meat) full of sinews
hempen, fibrousHaving or resembling fibers especially fibers used in making cordage such as those of jute
tough-skinnedHaving a relatively tough outer covering
See alsoinedible, uneatablenot suitable for food
OppositetenderEasy to cut or chew
Spanishduro, resistente
Nounstoughnessimpressive difficulty
English > tough: 12 senses > adjective 8
Meaningunfortunate / unfortunate or hard to bear.
Example "a tough break"
Synonymhard
BroaderbadHaving undesirable or negative qualities
Spanishduro
English > tough: 12 senses > adjective 9
Meaningmaking great mental demands; hard to comprehend or solve or believe.
Synonymsbaffling, elusive, knotty, problematic, problematical
Broaderdifficult, hardnot easy
Spanishdesconcertante, espinoso, problemático
Catalanproblemàtic
Nounstoughnessimpressive difficulty
English > tough: 12 senses > noun 1, person
Meaningsomeone who learned to fight in the streets rather than being formally trained in the sport of boxing.
Synonymstreet fighter
Broadercombatant, battler, belligerent, fighter, scrappersomeone who fights (or is fighting)
English > tough: 12 senses > noun 2, person
MeaningAn aggressive and violent young criminal.
Synonymshood, hoodlum, goon, punk, thug, toughie, strong-armer
NarrowerbullyA hired thug
Broadercriminal, felon, crook, outlaw, malefactorsomeone who has committed a crime or has been legally convicted of a crime
Spanishbandido, matón
Catalanperdonavides
English > tough: 12 senses > noun 3, person
MeaningA cruel and brutal fellow.
Synonymsbully, hooligan, ruffian, roughneck, rowdy, yob, yobo, yobbo
NarrowerbullyboyA swaggering tough
muscleman, muscleA bully employed as a thug or bodyguard
skinhead, skinA young person who belongs to a British or American group that shave their heads and gather at rock concerts or engage in white supremacist demonstrations
tough guy, plug-uglysomeone who bullies weaker people
Broaderattacker, aggressor, assailant, assaultersomeone who attacks
Spanishbullanguero, camorrista, gallito, gamberra, gamberro, gorila, hampón, hooligan, matachín, matasiete, matón, patotero, pendenciero, perdonavidas, rufian, rufián, vándala, vándalo
Catalanbatusser, bergant, breguista, cercabregues, fanàtic, gall, gamberro, goril·la, matón, perdonavides, pinxo, rufià, vàndal

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