toughadj.adv.n.
/tʌf/ A. adj. (and adv.)† 8. Phrase. to make it tough.† b. To be persistent or obstinate. Obsolete.
1.
a. Of close tenacious substance or texture; strongly cohesive, so as to be pliable or ductile; not easily broken, divided, or disintegrated; not fragile, brittle, or tender; of food, difficult to masticate.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > constitution of matter > strength > [adjective] > tough
tougha700
sinewy1578
wiry1588
gristly1601
nervous1601
tenax1605
tenacious1607
clunga1722
whipcord1879
whinstone1910
the world > matter > constitution of matter > softness > pliableness > [adjective]
tougha700
lithyc1000
softc1330
weak?a1366
plianta1382
persha1398
plyinga1398
lithec1400
supplec1400
plicable?a1425
curvable?1440
lethec1440
scretec1440
pliablec1475
bowable1483
bowing1483
waldinc1485
supple1513
flexible1548
limber1565
lither1565
bending1567
osier1577
wiry1588
buxom1590
withy1598
suppliable1599
renderingc1600
fluxible1607
winding1609
bendable1611
flippant1622
flexive1629
flexile1633
maniable1633
compliant1667
flectible1705
limp1706
yieldy1757
complying1774
limberly1782
willowy1791
switchy1810
wandy1825
twistable1853
bendsome1861
whippy1867
swack1868
bendy1873
the world > the earth > structure of the earth > constituent materials > earth or soil > soil qualities > [adjective] > firm
strongOE
tough1340–70
strongish1652
stout1764
the world > food and drink > food > qualities of food > [adjective] > coarse or tough
toughc1400
boisterous1483
fulsome1555
foul1560
rough1583
coarse1607
indelicate1751
tough as (old) boots or leather1843
α.
β. 1488 (c1478) Hary Actis & Deidis Schir William Wallace (Adv.) (1968–9) xii. l. 1061 With seuir cordys..Bath scharp and tewch.1513 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid vii. xiii. 65 Knyt wyth a teuch string.1597 A. Montgomerie Cherrie & Slae 314 The Chirries..grewe, on trimbling twistis tewch.1735 A. Ramsay Addr. Thanks from Society of Rakes 7 That setting Dog, his Man, May..use a teugh St. Johnston Ribbon.γ. 1297 [see sense A. 8a]. a1513 W. Dunbar Poems (1998) I. 245 Na ȝowis, auld, twch and sklender.δ. a1400–50 Alexander 319 Tachid in his for-top—twa tufe hornes. 1602 [see sense A. 4]. 1653 I. Walton Compl. Angler xii. 223 Gentles..is a good bait..being lively and tuffe . View more context for this quotation1665 R. Hooke Micrographia 51 The pure parts of metals are of themselves very flexible and tuff.a1679 Earl of Orrery Guzman ii, in Dram. Wks. (1739) II. 267 Let his Skin be tuff as Wall.1683 J. Pettus Fleta Minor (1686) i. 3 Silver which is tuff or hard.1733 W. Ellis Chiltern & Vale Farming 8 Being tuffer, and more tenacious than any other.a700 Epinal Gloss. (O.E.T.) 581 Lenta, tarda vel toch.
a700 Epinal Gloss. (O.E.T.) 614 Lentum vimen, toch gerd.
c725 Corpus Gloss. 1207 Lentum vimen, toh gerd.
c1275 Laȝamon Brut 5865 Kerueþ ȝoure speres lang and makeþ heom toȝe an strang.
1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 691 Hue tilede in hur time on þe touh erþe, & whete soþliche sew.
a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1872) IV. 317 Temperynge of glas to make þe glas tough i-now to bende.
c1400 (?c1380) Cleanness (1920) l. 630 [Abraham] a calf bryngez Þat watz tender & not toȝe; bed..þat he hit seþe faste.
c1400 Laud Troy Bk. 10877 The spere was tow & long.
c1440 Promptorium Parvulorum 498/1 Towhhe, not tendyr (A. tow, P. tough).
c1540 (?a1400) Destr. Troy 7495 Telamon, the tore kyng, with a togh speire.
1552 R. Huloet Abcedarium Anglico Latinum Towgh, tenax.
a1625 W. Shakespeare & J. Fletcher Two Noble Kinsmen (1634) ii. v. 2 I have not seene..a man of tougher synewes. View more context for this quotation
1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Georgics ii, in tr. Virgil Wks. 90 The tougher Yeugh Receives the bending Figure of a Bow. View more context for this quotation
1769 E. Bancroft Ess. Nat. Hist. Guiana 209 Its body is tough and fibrous.
1827 M. Faraday Chem. Manip. v. 151 A wrought iron mortar..would be too tough.
b. tough as (old) boots or leather. Frequently figurative, implying sense A. 4.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > qualities of food > [adjective] > coarse or tough
toughc1400
boisterous1483
fulsome1555
foul1560
rough1583
coarse1607
indelicate1751
tough as (old) boots or leather1843
the world > life > the body > bodily constitution > bodily strength > [adjective] > robust
strongeOE
hardOE
stalworthc1175
starka1250
stiff1297
steel to the (very) backa1300
stalworthyc1300
wightc1300
stable13..
valiant1303
stithc1325
toughc1330
wrast1338
stoura1350
sadc1384
wighty14..
derfc1440
substantialc1460
well-jointed1483
felon1487
robust1490
stalwart1508
stoutya1529
robustous?1531
rankc1540
hardy1548
robustious1548
stout1576
rustical1583
rustic1620
iron1638
robustic1652
swankinga1704
strapping1707
rugged1731
solid1741
vaudy1793
flaithulach1829
ironbark1833
swankie1838
tough as (old) boots or leather1843
skookum1847
hard (also tough, sharp) as nails1862
hard-assed1954
nails1974
1843 J. W. Carlyle Lett. (1883) I. 219 The ‘cold fowl’ was..as tough as leather.
1870 M. Bridgman Robert Lynne I. xiii. 213 She's as tough as old boots.
1946 J. B. Priestley Bright Day iv. 111 Joe Ackworth's more the type. He's as tough as old leather.
1967 Listener 7 Dec. 765/1 This is no sweet old dolly... She is tough as old boots, working for a living.
1981 M. Hatfield Spy Fever i. iii. 31 Colonel Theakston was..as the saying goes, as tough as old boots.
2. Of viscous consistence or nature; sticky, adhesive, tenacious; glutinous.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > constitution of matter > density or solidity > viscosity > [adjective]
thickc888
toughc1000
cleavingc1350
gluey1382
gluish1382
gleiming1387
gummya1398
clammy1398
gleimy1398
viscosec1400
viscousc1400
emplastic?a1425
plastery?c1425
stiffc1430
clamc1440
engleimous?c1475
rawky1509
rich1535
clammish1543
limy1552
strong1560
glutinous1576
cloggy1587
emplastical1590
viscuous1603
plasterish1610
slaba1616
bound1635
viscid1635
lentous1646
spiscious1655
melleous1656
salivarious1656
glutining1658
syrupical1659
glairy1662
gummous1669
gummose1678
mellaginous1681
melligineous1684
pargety1684
sticky1688
sizy1691
dauby1697
syrupy1707
treacly?1734
glaireous1755
flabbyc1780
spissid1782
stodgy1823
waxy1835
teery1848
treacle-like1871
viscoid1877
slauming1904
gooey1906
gloopy1929
gunky1937
gungy1962
yucky1975
c1000 Sax. Leechd. III. 16 Gnid ða buteran on ðæm hwetstane mid copore þæt heo beo wel toh.
1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) Gen. xi. 3 Thei hadden..towȝ cley for syment.
c1440 Pallad. on Husb. i. 66 Tough to glue ayein though thowe it delve.
a1464 J. Capgrave Abbreuiacion of Cron. (Cambr. Gg.4.12) (1983) 26 Tow erde, cleped bithumen.
1531 W. Tyndale Answere Mores Dialoge f. cxxxij A carte that is ouer laden..in a tough mire maketh them [sc. the horses] stonde styll.
1658 W. Johnson tr. F. Würtz Surgeons Guid iii. iv. 228 Clear water, somewhat tuff and slimie.
1769 W. Buchan Domest. Med. ii. 332 The spittle is viscid and tough.
1800 Med. & Physical Jrnl. 3 154 The first class possess tough, glutinous juices.
3. figurative. Stiff; severe, violent; †(sometimes) grievous, painful; of a contest, etc.: stoutly maintained, strenuous, vigorous and stubborn.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > violent action or operation > [adjective]
retheeOE
hotOE
strongOE
woodlyc1000
un-i-rideOE
stoura1122
brathc1175
unridec1175
unrudec1225
starklyc1275
toughc1275
wood1297
ragec1330
unrekena1350
biga1375
furialc1386
outrageousc1390
savagea1393
violenta1393
bremelya1400
snarta1400
wrothlya1400
fightingc1400
runishc1400
dour?a1425
derfc1440
churlousa1450
roida1450
fervent1465
churlish1477
orgulous1483
felona1500
brathfula1522
brathlya1525
fanatic1533
furious1535
boisterous1544
blusterous1548
ungentle1551
sore1563
full-mouthed1594
savage wild1595
Herculean1602
shrill1608
robustious1612
efferous1614
thundering1618
churly1620
ferocient1655
turbulent1656
efferate1684
knock-me-down1760
haggard-wild1786
ensanguined1806
rammish1807
fulminatory1820
riproarious1830
natural1832
survigrous1835
sabre-toothed1849
cataclysmal1861
thunderous1874
fierce1912
cataractal1926
the mind > emotion > suffering > cause of mental pain or suffering > [adjective]
eileOE
soreOE
balefulc1200
carefulc1200
aching?c1225
pinefulc1225
sughendc1230
pininga1250
stinginga1250
toughc1275
deringa1325
unsetec1325
unwinc1330
throlya1375
encumbrousc1384
grievable1390
painful1395
plaintfula1400
sweamlya1400
swemandc1400
temptingc1400
importunea1425
sweamfulc1430
penible?a1439
discomfortingc1450
grievingc1450
remordingc1450
sorousc1503
badc1530
paining1532
raw1548
nippingc1550
smartful1556
pinching1563
grievesome1568
griping1568
afflictive1576
pressing1591
boisterous1599
heartstruck1608
carkingc1620
gravaminous1659
vellicating1669
weary1785
traumatizing1970
gut-wrenching1972
α.
γ. a1400 R. Gloucester's Chron. (Rolls) 517 Þe wrastlinge bitvene hom was somdel toȝt [rhyme ibroȝt].1400–40 R. Gloucester's Chron. (Rolls) App. H. 41 Þat bataile was wel towȝt [rhyme nouȝt].1400–40 R. Gloucester's Chron. (Rolls) App. XX. 150 Sumdel þat was tout [rhyme nout].c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 4648 & Hamun him to strac mid toȝen [c1300 Otho luþer] his mæine.
1297 R. Gloucester's Chron. (Rolls) 10605 Wan tueye stronge comeþ to gadere, it is somdel tou [rhyme slou].
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 24439 I sagh him dei, i sorud ai,..Mi tening es sa togh.
c1430 Hymns Virg. 120 With wawys grete, & stormys towe.
1539 R. Taverner tr. Erasmus Prouerbes sig. A.iijv They woll gyue much tougher and more ernest strokes.
a1661 T. Fuller Worthies (1662) Warw. 122 There was a tough contest betwixt the South and Northern-men in that University.
1865 P. H. Gosse Land & Sea (1874) 4 A tough breeze from the westward.
1891 C. Roberts Adrift in Amer. 153 In spite of the tough racket I had had.
4. Capable of great physical endurance; strongly resisting force, injury fatigue, etc.; not easily overcome, tired, or impaired; hardy, stout, sturdy.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > bodily constitution > bodily strength > [adjective] > robust
strongeOE
hardOE
stalworthc1175
starka1250
stiff1297
steel to the (very) backa1300
stalworthyc1300
wightc1300
stable13..
valiant1303
stithc1325
toughc1330
wrast1338
stoura1350
sadc1384
wighty14..
derfc1440
substantialc1460
well-jointed1483
felon1487
robust1490
stalwart1508
stoutya1529
robustous?1531
rankc1540
hardy1548
robustious1548
stout1576
rustical1583
rustic1620
iron1638
robustic1652
swankinga1704
strapping1707
rugged1731
solid1741
vaudy1793
flaithulach1829
ironbark1833
swankie1838
tough as (old) boots or leather1843
skookum1847
hard (also tough, sharp) as nails1862
hard-assed1954
nails1974
c1330 R. Mannyng Chron. Wace (Rolls) 13038 Petron had go, nad Beofs be tow.
1393 W. Langland Piers Plowman C. xiii. 187 Ac seedes þat been sowen and mowe suffre wyntres, Aren tydyour and tower to mannes by-hofthes.
1451 J. Capgrave Life St. Gilbert 73 His witte as fresch,..his mynde as tow,..as euyr þei were.
1571 in J. Cranstoun Satirical Poems Reformation (1891) I. xxv. 100 They know I am ane tuilȝeour teoch.
1576 A. Fleming tr. C. Plinius Novocomensis in Panoplie Epist. 258 A painefull and laborious fellowe, and such a one as is hard and toughe, and able to indure toile.
1602 in T. Campion Obseruations Art Eng. Poesie 18 All the glebe His tuffe hands manur'd.
1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Georgics ii, in tr. Virgil Wks. 81 A Glebe that asks Tough Teams of Oxen, and laborious Tasks. View more context for this quotation
1775 R. B. Sheridan Rivals i. i There is an old tough aunt in the way.
1819 W. Scott Bride of Lammermoor viii, in Tales of my Landlord 3rd Ser. II. 156 That was what tough old Sir Evan Dhu used to say.
1856 R. W. Emerson Eng. Traits v. 82 Even the..sots of England are of a tougher texture.
5.
a. Having great intellectual or moral endurance; difficult to influence, affect, or impress; steadfast, firm, persistent; also, stubborn, obstinate, hardened.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > decision > constancy or steadfastness > [adjective]
fasteOE
stathelfasteOE
anredOE
hardOE
starkOE
trueOE
steadfast993
fastredeOE
stithc1000
findyOE
stablea1275
stathelyc1275
stiffc1275
stablec1290
steel to the (very) backa1300
unbowinga1300
stably13..
firm1377
unmovablea1382
constantc1386
abidingc1400
toughc1400
sure1421
unmoblea1425
unfaintedc1425
unfaint1436
permanent?a1475
stalwartc1480
unbroken1513
immovable1534
inconcuss1542
unshaken1548
stout1569
unwavering1570
undiscourageable1571
fixed1574
discourageable1576
unappalled1578
resolute1579
unremoved1583
resolved1585
unflexiblea1586
unshakeda1586
square1589
unstooping1597
iron1598
rocky1601
steady1602
undeclinable1610
unboweda1616
unfainting1615
unswayed1615
staunch1624
undiscourageda1628
staid1631
unshook1633
blue?1636
true blue?1636
tenacious1640
uncomplying1643
yieldless1651
riveting1658
unshakened1659
inconquerable1660
unyielding1677
unbendinga1688
tight1690
unswerving1694
unfaltering1727
unsubmitting1730
undeviating1732
undrooping1736
impervertible1741
undamped1742
undyingc1765
sturdy1775
stiff as a poker1798
unfickle1802
indivertible1821
thick and thin1822
undisheartened1827
inconvertible1829
straightforward1829
indomitable1830
stickfast1831
unsuccumbing1833
unturnable1847
unswerved1849
undivertible1856
unforsaking1862
swerveless1863
steeve1870
rock-ribbed1884
stiff in the back1897
the mind > will > decision > constancy or steadfastness > [adjective] > capable of moral effort or endurance
strongeOE
dreicha1200
stable13..
wilfulc1330
toughc1400
durable1541
strong-minded1544
unbending1796
cast iron1829
backboned1940
the mind > will > decision > obstinacy or stubbornness > [adjective]
starkOE
moodyOE
stithc1000
stidyc1175
stallc1275
harda1382
stubbornc1386
obstinate?1387
throa1400
hard nolleda1425
obstinant?a1425
pertinacec1425
stablec1440
dour1488
unresigned1497
difficultc1503
hard-necked1530
pertinatec1534
obstacle1535
stout-stomached1549
hard-faced1567
stunt1581
hard-headed1583
pertinacious1583
stuntly1583
peremptory1589
stomachous1590
mulish1600
stomachful1600
obstined1606
restive1633
obstinacious1649
opinionated1649
tenacious1656
iron-sided1659
sturdy1664
cat-witted1672
obstinated1672
unyielding1677
ruggish1688
bullet-headed1699
tough1780
pelsy1785
stupid1788
hard-set1818
thick and thin1822
stuntya1825
rigwiddie1826
indomitable1830
recalcitrant1830
set1848
mule-headed1870
muley1871
capitose1881
hard-nosed1917
tight1928
c1400 26 Pol. Poems xxv. 521 Yef myn hert be styf and towe, To thanke the in wele and woo.
1411 26 Pol. Poems x. 35 My loue to man it was so tow.
1519 W. Horman Vulgaria xiii. f. 142v The stewarde of the house is harde and toughe.
1603 R. Knolles Gen. Hist. Turkes 965 A man of ripe yeares, but yet fierce of courage, tough in opinion.
1780 W. Cowper Table Talk 458 Obduracy takes place; callous and tough, The reprobated race grows judgment proof.
1846 C. Dickens Dombey & Son (1848) x. 89 You'll find him tough, Ma'am. Tough, Sir, tough is Joseph.
1898 Daily News 25 Jan. 6/2 As a witness before Parliamentary Committees he was what is called ‘a tough customer’.
b. Resolute in dealing with opposition; vigorously uncompromising; severe; esp. in to get tough (cf. get v. Compounds c). colloquial (originally U.S.).
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > strictness > [adjective] > severe or stern
wrothc893
retheeOE
stithc897
starkOE
sternOE
hardOE
dangerous?c1225
sharpa1340
asperc1374
austerec1384
shrewda1387
snella1400
sternful?a1400
unsterna1400
dour?a1425
piquant1521
tetrical1528
tetric1533
sorea1535
rugged?1548
severe1548
hard-handed1611
Catonian1676
tetricous1727
heavy1849
acerbic1853
stiff1856
Catonic1883
tough1905
the mind > will > decision > obstinacy or stubbornness > [adjective] > inflexible
ironOE
stour1303
strange1338
unmovablea1382
inflexible1398
stoutc1410
unpliablea1425
intreatable1509
stiff1526
stiff-necked1526
unpliant1547
stout-hearted1552
inexorable1553
obstinate1559
strait-laced1560
impersuasible1576
unflexiblea1586
hard-edged1589
adamantive1594
unyielding1594
adder-deaf1597
steeled1600
irrefragable1601
rigid1606
unpersuadable1607
imployable1613
unswayablea1616
uncompellable1623
inflexive?1624
over-rigid1632
unlimbera1639
seta1640
incomplying1640
uncomplying1643
stiff-girt1659
impersuadable1680
unbendinga1688
impracticable1713
unblendable1716
stiff-rumped1728
unconvinciblea1747
uncompounding1782
unplastic1787
unbending1796
adamant1816
uneasy1819
uncompromising1828
cast iron1829
hard-hitting1831
rigoristic1844
ramrod1850
pincé1858
anchylosed1860
unbendable1884
tape-bound1900
tape-tied1900
hard line1903
tough1905
absolutist1907
hard-arsed1942
go-for-broke1946
hardcore1951
hard-arse1966
hard-ass1967
hardball1974
the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > harshness or severity > [adjective] > rigidly or relentlessly
grima1000
steely1508
unbowable1537
inexorable1553
unrelenting1590
unrelentless1606
rigid1610
implacable1611
unrelentable1611
unsoftened1645
unconniving1671
ramrod1850
unexcusing1853
unsoftening1857
tough1905
1905 U. Sinclair Jungle i, in Appeal to Reason 25 Feb. 2/1 He affects a ‘tough’ aspect, wearing his hat on one side and keeping a cigarette in his mouth all the evening.
1930 E. H. Lavine Third Degree ii. 17 A conscientious, or ‘tough’, [police] sergeant was assigned to a west-side precinct.
1935 P. G. Wodehouse Blandings Castle vi. 151 In all villages, of course, there must..be an occasional tough egg.
1938 E. Ambler Cause for Alarm vii. 116 Vagas got tough. They had a showdown.
1964 in C. Hamblett & J. Deverson Generation X 10 The funniest thing was seeing the cops getting tough. If they want a fight we'll give it to them.
1972 J. Symons Bloody Murder xii. 159 The behaviour of the private detective may be tough, but is based on ethical standards.
1978 J. Irving World according to Garp i. 14 They initiated a get-tough policy with Jenny Fields. It was a staff decision—‘for her own good’, of course.
1984 N.Y. Times 12 Feb. (Late City Final) i. 1. 35/1 My policy is to be tough but fair with the gaming industry... Federal law-enforcement officials have greater access to data on Nevada.
c. Of laws or rules: strict, inflexible. Of an institution: marked by strict enforcement of discipline.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > strictness > [adjective] > strict or severe (of rules, judgement, or discipline)
strongeOE
starkc1175
sharpa1340
strait1390
unrelaxed1508
exacta1538
severe1562
strict1578
weightya1616
stringent1846
ramrod1850
medieval1917
tough1961
1961 Webster's 3rd New Internat. Dict. Eng. Lang. (at cited word) When the law gets too tough the courts don't convict. G. Felsen.
1971 J. Osborne West of Suez i. 42 Father decided I needed ‘toughening up’ at a really tough school.
1977 National Observer (U.S.) 22 Jan. 1/1 Reformers want a tougher code of ethics for Presidential appointees.
1977 National Observer (U.S.) 22 Jan. 1/1 The environmentalists want a tougher line on automobiles that pollute.
6.
a. Difficult to do, accomplish, perform, or deal with; hard, trying, laborious, troublesome.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > difficulty > [adjective]
arvethc885
uneathOE
arvethlichc1000
evilc1175
hardc1175
deara1225
derfa1225
illc1330
wickeda1375
uneasy1398
difficul?a1450
difficile?1473
difficulta1527
unready1535
craggy1582
spiny1604
tough1619
uphill1622
shrewda1626
spinousa1638
scabrous1646
spinose1660
rugged1663
cranka1745
tight1764
thraward1818
nasty1828
upstream1847
awkward1860
pricklyc1862
bristling1871
sticky1871
rocky1873
dodgy1898
challengeful1927
solid1943
ball-busting1944
challenging1975
1619 Visct. Doncaster Let. in S. R. Gardiner Lett. Relations Eng. & Germany (1865) 1st Ser. 133 To perswade them to hearken to a treaty would prove a tough piece of worke.
1645 J. Howell Epistolæ Ho-elianæ iv. xv. 20 The town of Breda hath..yeelded..after a tough siege of thirteen months.
1797 A. Radcliffe Italian II. ii. 79 They should find tough work of it.
1828 W. Scott Fair Maid of Perth iii, in Chron. Canongate 2nd Ser. II. 93 ‘It will be a tough job,’ growled the assassin.
1853 C. Kingsley Hypatia II. x. 238 [He] comforted his troubled soul with a tough problem of astronomy.
b. Hard to believe or understand; taxing credulity or comprehension.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > intelligibility > unintelligibility > depth, obscurity > [adjective]
higheOE
dighela1000
deepc1000
darkOE
starkOE
dusk?c1225
subtle1340
dimc1350
subtilea1393
covert1393
mystica1398
murka1400
cloudyc1400
hard?c1400
mistyc1400
unclearc1400
diffuse1430
abstractc1450
diffused?1456
exquisitec1460
obnubilous?a1475
obscure?a1475
covered1484
intricate?a1500
nice?a1500
perplexeda1500
difficilea1513
difficult1530
privy1532
smoky1533
secret1535
abstruse?1549
difficul1552
entangled1561
confounded1572
darksome1574
obnubilate1575
enigmatical1576
confuse1577
mysteriousa1586
Delphic1598
obfuscatea1600
enfumed1601
Delphicala1603
obstruse1604
abstracted1605
confused1611
questionable1611
inevident1614
recondite1619
cryptic1620
obfuscated1620
transcendent1624
Delphian1625
oraculous1625
enigmatic1628
recluse1629
abdite1635
undilucidated1635
clouded1641
benighted1647
oblite1650
researched1653
obnubilated1658
obscurative1664
tenebrose1677
hyperbyssal1691
condite1695
diffusive1709
profound1710
tenebricose1730
oracular1749
opaque1761
unenlightening1768
darkling1795
offuscating1798
unrecognizable1817
tough1820
abstrusive1848
obscurant1878
out-of-focus1891
unplumbable1895
inenubilable1903
non-transparent1939
the mind > mental capacity > belief > disbelief, incredulity > [adjective] > unbelievable > taxing credulity
tough1820
steep1895
1820 W. Irving in Life & Lett. (1864) I. xxvii. 459 When your boy grows large enough to understand tough stories.
1840 R. H. Barham Some Acct. New Play in Ingoldsby Legends 1st Ser. 316 Tell us tough yarns, and then swear they are true.
1861 P. B. Du Chaillu Explor. Equatorial Afr. xii. 155 This seemed to them the toughest yarn of all.
c. Of circumstances, etc.: imposing hardship, distress, or injustice. colloquial (originally and chiefly U.S.).
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > adversity > [adjective] > full of hardship
hardOE
soreOE
starkOE
difficult1562
flinty1613
rugged1663
rough1709
rude1735
tough1890
1890 Stock Grower & Farmer 8 Mar. 4/2 The recent blizzard..was pretty tough on range cattle.
1901 S. E. White Claim Jumpers 256 I've been a little tough on you occasionally.
1929 P. G. Wodehouse Mr. Mulliner Speaking i. 34 ‘I suppose it's because I'm rather an out-size and modelled on the lines of Cleopatra.’ ‘Tough!’ ‘You bet it's tough. A girl can't help her appearance.’
1933 P. Godfrey Back-stage xvii. 216 The ‘tough breaks’ in their gipsy life soon weed out the weaklings.
1942 E. Paul Narrow Street xxix. 265 You know you're likely to be bumped off?.. Things are tough down there, and they won't get any better.
1959 H. P. Tritton Time means Tucker (1965) i. 11 Work was scarce and wages low, and conditions all round were tough.
1962 J. H. Cutler Honey Fitz xx. 291 Joe [Kennedy] made his children stay on their toes... ‘He would bear down on them and tell them, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.”’
1982 Church Times 30 Apr. 11/1 The life of a nun is extremely tough and involves a lot of physical hard work.
d. tough luck (colloquial, originally U.S.), hard luck, misfortune; esp. as an expression of (sometimes ironic) commiseration; also (chiefly U.S. slang) tough shit, stuff or tiddy (titty).
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > adversity > calamity or misfortune > [noun] > misfortune or ill-luck
un-i-limpOE
unlimpc1175
mishap?c1225
unhap?c1225
mishappeningc1230
ames-ace?a1300
misadventure?a1300
ill hailc1300
misauntera1325
untiminga1325
miscasec1325
mischancec1325
misfall1340
misfarea1387
casec1390
infortunea1393
mishapping?a1400
unchancea1400
disadventurea1413
mischieving1432
infortuny?a1439
encumbermentc1440
misfortune1441
evil hail?c1450
malfortunea1470
unhappiness1470
maleurtee?1473
malheur?1473
evil health1477
unfortune1483
wanfortunea1500
disfortune1509
wanhap1513
ill, evil ch(i)eving?1518
mislucka1530
ill luck1548
unfortunacy?c1550
evilfare1556
unluck1556
hard luck1567
bad luck1575
miscasualty1588
disgrace1590
wanchance1599
disventure1612
misaccident1620
miscarriagec1625
hard lines1722
mishanter1754
malefit1755
miscanter1781
hard cheese1854
hard cheddar1893
schlimazel1911
tough luck1912
snake eyes1918
catch-arse1970
1912 Collier's 28 Sept. 19/1 ‘Tough luck, old top’, he muttered.
1932 Kansas City (Missouri) Times 14 Jan. 18 It may be Mr. Hoover's tough luck to be both renominated and re~elected.
1934 J. T. Farrell Calico Shoes 143 You have to take your chances, and if you can't swim, you sink. It's just your tough tiddy.
1944 in A. M. Taylor Lang. World War II 198 Beachhead chaplains are carrying a special ‘tough stuff’ ticket these days which they issue to guys with complaints about which nothing can be done.
1946 Amer. Speech 21 249 [Army vocabulary.] Tough shit, something which is unfortunate, but about which nothing can be done.
1958 S. A. Grau Hard Blue Sky ii. 89 ‘And the whole building near to going down with the next strong wind.’ ‘Tough titty, man.’
1971 ‘A. Burgess’ MF ii. 32 [I got] robbed and rumpled.—Tough titty she said with little sympathy.
1974 Black World Jan. 10/2 Is Mr. Gayle exasperated by the fact that I do not give clear-cut answers to these questions? Tough luck: I do not have them.
1976 New Yorker 1 Mar. 74/2 I'm awfully sorry to hear about your tough luck.
1978 J. Carroll Mortal Friends ii. v. 200 Tough shit, Lady! Morning wears to evening and hearts break.
7. U.S. Of criminal or vicious proclivities. Cf. B.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > violent behaviour > [adjective]
outragea1325
violentc1384
boistousa1387
outrageousc1390
outraiousc1390
harageous?a1400
hetera1400
methelessc1400
ruffian1528
termagant1546
sore1565
ruffianly1570
boisterous1581
violousa1626
tory-rory1678
plug-ugly1857
radge1857
amok1868
tough1884
roughhouse1896
butch1939
shit-kicking1953
hard-ass1967
tasty1974
the mind > goodness and badness > wrongdoing > criminality > [adjective] > and vicious
tough1884
1884 ‘J. Miller’ Memorie & Rime i. 9 And oh! but this is a tough town!
1894 W. T. Stead If Christ came to Chicago 35 An oasis of cleanliness and light in the midst of a district which was decidedly tough.
1894 W. T. Stead If Christ came to Chicago 36 One of the toughest of the toughs in the slums.
a. To make it difficult; to make difficulties about doing something; to show reluctance. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > wish or inclination > unwillingness > be unwilling [verb (intransitive)]
nillOE
loathea1200
to make it tough1297
forthinka1300
reckc1300
ruea1400
to make (it) strangec1405
to make strangenessc1407
stick1418
resistc1425
to make (it) strange?1456
steek1478
tarrowc1480
doubt1483
sunyie1488
to make (it) nice1530
stay1533
shentc1540
to make courtesy (at)1542
to make it scrupulous1548
to think (it) much1548
to make dainty of (anything)1555
to lie aback1560
stand1563
steek1573
to hang back1581
erch1584
to make doubt1586
to hang the groin1587
to make scruple (also a, no, etc., scruple)1589
yearn1597
to hang the winga1601
to make squeamish1611
smay1632
bogglea1638
to hang off1641
waver1643
reluct1648
shy1650
reluctate1655
stickle1656
scruple1660
to make boggle1667
revere1689
begrudge1690
to have scruples1719
stopc1738
bitch1777
reprobate1779
crane1823
disincline1885
1297 R. Gloucester's Chron. (Rolls) 10498 Þe king glosede her & þer & made it somdel touȝt, Ac þo it com to þe strengþe he nolde it graunti nouȝt.
c1369 G. Chaucer Bk. Duchesse 531 Lo howe goodly spake this knyght..And made it neyther tough ne queynt.
c1400 Rowland & O. 118 Þou may Iangill & make it toughe.
c1412 T. Hoccleve De Regimine Principum 3516 ‘Iulius’, quod he, ‘make it noght so tow [v.r. tough]’.
1508 Golagros & Gawane (Chepman & Myllar) sig. cvi It may nocht mend the ane myte to mak it so teugh.
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 624/2 I make it tough, I make it coye, as maydens do, or persons that be strange if they be asked a questyon... Mary, you make it toughe, Marie, vous faitez le dangereux.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > decision > perseverance or persistence > persevere or persist [verb (intransitive)]
continuec1340
perseverec1380
stick1447
to rub on1469
to stick unto ——1529
persist1531
to make it tougha1549
whilea1617
subsist1632
to rub along1668
let the world rub1677
dog1692
wade1714
to stem one's course1826
to stick in1853
to hang on1860
to worry along1871
to stay the course1885
slug1943
to slug it out1943
to bash on1950
to soldier on1954
to keep on trucking1972
the mind > will > decision > obstinacy or stubbornness > be or become obstinate or stubborn [verb (intransitive)]
persist1531
to stand in this1538
to make it tougha1549
obdure1609
opiniatre1678
to ride rusty1709
to dig in one's toes1933
a1549 Murning Maidin Pref. in F. J. Furnivall R. Laneham's Let. (1871) 151 Albeit ye mak it never sa tewch, To me your labour is in vane.
c1560 A. Scott Poems (S.T.S.) ii. 154 Quhen thai saw Sym sic curage ta, And Will mak it sa twche.
9. † a. Vigorously, stoutly; persistently. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > vigour or energy > [adverb]
hardlyeOE
strongeOE
hardOE
fastOE
starklyOE
stalworthlyc1175
starkc1225
mainlyc1300
fellc1330
snellc1330
stout1338
wightlya1340
sadlya1375
sharplyc1380
tough1398
stoutly1399
throa1400
wighta1400
lustilyc1400
sorec1400
vigourslyc1400
stiff1422
vigoriouslya1450
vigorouslya1450
actuallya1470
stourlyc1480
forcely?a1500
lustly1529
fricklyc1540
dingilya1555
livelily?1565
crankly1566
forcibly1578
crank1579
wightily?a1600
proudly1600
energetically1609
stiffly1623
ding-dong1628
greenly1633
hard and fast1646
slashingly1659
thwackingly1660
warmlya1684
robustly1709
sonsily1729
forcefullya1774
vim1843
zippily1924
vibrantly1926
punchily1934
zingily1951
the mind > will > decision > constancy or steadfastness > [adverb]
anredlyOE
fastlyOE
steadfastly?c1225
stifflyc1290
stably1297
steadfasta1300
stoutly1303
steevely1340
sadlya1375
sturdilyc1374
firm1377
surelyc1380
like a flint1382
tough1398
firmlyc1425
unmovablyc1425
but variancec1430
sad?c1430
immovably1435
toughlyc1450
affirmlya1513
wishly1530
constantly1534
steadily1540
fall back (also flat), fall edge?1553
staidly1571
fixedly1605
indeclinably1624
undeclinably1662
unfalteringly1665
unswervingly1805
unwaveringly1830
indomitably1837
rockily1846
unbendingly1847
indivertibly1853
unshakeablya1864
undyingly1881
unshakenly1882
adamantly1897
1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomew de Glanville De Proprietatibus Rerum xi. xviii. (Tollem. MS.) Yf it be touȝe [1535 strongly] blowe, and þanne broke.
1508 Golagros & Gawane (Chepman & Myllar) sig. bviv The wyis..All to turnit thair entyre traistly and tewch.
1581 in J. Cranstoun Satirical Poems Reformation (1891) I. xliv. 125 Quhen as he draue and Knox held steue the pleuch, And Methuen seu adulterie so teuch.
1805 A. Douglas Poems (1806) 12 At Luncarty they fought fu' teuch.
1827 W. Taylor Poems (ed. 2) 98 (E.D.D.) The carle he did play sae teugh.
b. In an uncompromising, aggressive, or unyielding manner.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > decision > obstinacy or stubbornness > [adverb] > inflexibly
unmovablyc1425
inflexiblya1535
inexorably1610
rigidly1610
unpersuadably1619
unrelentingly1637
impersuasibly1659
full-mouthedly1681
unpliantly1755
uncompromisingly1834
indomitably1837
imperviously1840
unyieldingly1884
tough1943
1943 R. Chandler Lady in Lake iv. 25 You fellows [sc. cops] ever flash a buzzer—or is acting tough all the identification you need?
1968 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 3 Feb. 7/5 Saskatchewan's Premier Ross Thatcher, while he talks tough in private, is apparently willing to make at least a gesture.
10. As an epithet of commendation: very good, ‘great’. U.S. slang (originally African-American).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [adjective]
faireOE
bremea1000
goodlyOE
goodfulc1275
noblec1300
pricec1300
specialc1325
gentlec1330
fine?c1335
singulara1340
thrivena1350
thriven and throa1350
gaya1375
properc1380
before-passinga1382
daintiful1393
principala1398
gradelya1400
burlyc1400
daintyc1400
thrivingc1400
voundec1400
virtuousc1425
hathelc1440
curiousc1475
singlerc1500
beautiful1502
rare?a1534
gallant1539
eximious1547
jolly1548
egregious?c1550
jellyc1560
goodlike1562
brawc1565
of worth1576
brave?1577
surprising1580
finger-licking1584
admirablea1586
excellinga1586
ambrosial1598
sublimated1603
excellent1604
valiant1604
fabulous1609
pure1609
starryc1610
topgallant1613
lovely1614
soaringa1616
twanging1616
preclarent1623
primea1637
prestantious1638
splendid1644
sterling1647
licking1648
spankinga1666
rattling1690
tearing1693
famous1695
capital1713
yrare1737
pure and —1742
daisy1757
immense1762
elegant1764
super-extra1774
trimming1778
grand1781
gallows1789
budgeree1793
crack1793
dandy1794
first rate1799
smick-smack1802
severe1805
neat1806
swell1810
stamming1814
divine1818
great1818
slap-up1823
slapping1825
high-grade1826
supernacular1828
heavenly1831
jam-up1832
slick1833
rip-roaring1834
boss1836
lummy1838
flash1840
slap1840
tall1840
high-graded1841
awful1843
way up1843
exalting1844
hot1845
ripsnorting1846
clipping1848
stupendous1848
stunning1849
raving1850
shrewd1851
jammy1853
slashing1854
rip-staving1856
ripping1858
screaming1859
up to dick1863
nifty1865
premier cru1866
slap-bang1866
clinking1868
marvellous1868
rorty1868
terrific1871
spiffing1872
all wool and a yard wide1882
gorgeous1883
nailing1883
stellar1883
gaudy1884
fizzing1885
réussi1885
ding-dong1887
jim-dandy1888
extra-special1889
yum-yum1890
out of sight1891
outasight1893
smooth1893
corking1895
large1895
super1895
hot dog1896
to die for1898
yummy1899
deevy1900
peachy1900
hi1901
v.g.1901
v.h.c.1901
divvy1903
doozy1903
game ball1905
goodo1905
bosker1906
crackerjack1910
smashinga1911
jake1914
keen1914
posh1914
bobby-dazzling1915
juicy1916
pie on1916
jakeloo1919
snodger1919
whizz-bang1920
wicked1920
four-star1921
wow1921
Rolls-Royce1922
whizz-bang1922
wizard1922
barry1923
nummy1923
ripe1923
shrieking1926
crazy1927
righteous1930
marvy1932
cool1933
plenty1933
brahmaa1935
smoking1934
solid1935
mellow1936
groovy1937
tough1937
bottler1938
fantastic1938
readyc1938
ridge1938
super-duper1938
extraordinaire1940
rumpty1940
sharp1940
dodger1941
grouse1941
perfecto1941
pipperoo1945
real gone1946
bosting1947
supersonic1947
whizzo1948
neato1951
peachy-keen1951
ridgey-dite1953
ridgy-didge1953
top1953
whizzing1953
badass1955
wild1955
belting1956
magic1956
bitching1957
swinging1958
ridiculous1959
a treat1959
fab1961
bad-assed1962
uptight1962
diggish1963
cracker1964
marv1964
radical1964
bakgat1965
unreal1965
pearly1966
together1968
safe1970
bad1971
brilliant1971
fabby1971
schmick1972
butt-kicking1973
ripper1973
Tiffany1973
bodacious1976
rad1976
kif1978
awesome1979
death1979
killer1979
fly1980
shiok1980
stonking1980
brill1981
dope1981
to die1982
mint1982
epic1983
kicking1983
fabbo1984
mega1985
ill1986
posho1989
pukka1991
lovely jubbly1992
awesomesauce2001
nang2002
bess2006
amazeballs2009
boasty2009
daebak2009
beaut2013
1937 Amer. Speech 12 45/2 I caught Wright's band last night and are they tough.
1960 R. G. Reisner Jazz Titans 167 Tough, great.
1965 Mrs. L. B. Johnson White House Diary 3 June (1970) 282 ‘Pat Nugent..he's just tons, Mother—he's a tough guy!’ (‘Tough’ means great, wonderful, nice, attractive, it seems.)
1972 J. Hudson in T. Kochman Rappin' & Stylin' Out 422 Now my singing ain't none too tough, but I can sell some dope.
11. In combination (chiefly parasynthetic) with other adjectives, as tough-backed, tough-hided (in quots. figurative), tough-looking, tough-metalled, tough-necked, tough-shelled, tough-skinned, tough-strung.
ΚΠ
1637 J. Fletcher & P. Massinger Elder Brother v. i. sig. I3v A true tough metal'd blade.
1682 N. O. tr. N. Boileau-Despréaux Lutrin ii. 14 A tough-back't Knave.
1768 A. Tucker Light of Nature (1834) I. 644 Their solid bones, their tough-strung muscles, their strong-bounding blood.
1825 S. T. Coleridge Let. to J. Gillman in Lett. (1895) 743 Nature is..tough-lived as a turtle.
1826 M. R. Mitford Our Village II. 132 A tall, spare, tough-looking woman, with a long bony face.
1872 R. Browning Fifine xxxi Unsensitive, tough-thonged In lieu of our fine nerve.
1925 D. H. Lawrence St. Mawr 158 She felt a peculiar tough-necked arrogance in him.
1930 R. Lehmann Note in Music vi. 249 It would take a good deal..to harm a tough-hided old hippopotamus like Uncle Tom.
1933 C. S. Lewis Pilgrim's Regress vii. v. 146 I always think it is possible for a place to be too bracing. They call it the land of the tough-minded—tough-skinned would be a better name.
1964 Listener 30 Apr. 731/3 A tough-hided, soft-centred, north-country, working-class dramatist.
B. n.
1. Originally U.S. A person given to rough or violent behaviour.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > ruffianly conduct > ruffian > [noun] > frequenting streets
scamperer1712
corner-boy1855
plug-ugly1856
corner-cove1862
keelie1863
tough1866
larrikin1868
corner-man1885
the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > violent behaviour > [noun] > violent treatment or force > frequenting streets
scamperer1712
sweater1712
corner-boy1855
plug-ugly1856
corner-cove1862
keelie1863
tough1866
larrikin1868
corner-man1885
voyoua1896
tsotsi1949
1866 W. D. Howells Venetian Life ii The toughs of the distant alleys.
1884 ‘J. Miller’ Memorie & Rime i. 9 Another ‘tough’..helped them hustle me in.
1897 Outing 30 429/1 It has spoiled our football, ruined our baseball, except for the ‘tough’.
1903 C. Lumholtz Unknown Mexico I. 3 A raid on the camp by some toughs in the neighbourhood.
1929 ‘G. Daviot’ Man in Queue iii. 25 The missing man..was, in the opinion of the Durham inspector, a tough.
1946 R. Lehmann Gipsy's Baby 145 Can't think how your parents put up with it—all that gang of young toughs in and out all day.
1972 E. Grierson Confessions of Country Magistrate ix. 86 Certainly the treatment of the teenage tough..is a problem to which no one has ever hazarded an optimistic answer.
1982 I. Hamilton Robert Lowell (1983) ii. 16 He graduated to the status of school tough via a series of spectacular playground victories.
2. A person of uncompromising or aggressive views.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > decision > obstinacy or stubbornness > [noun] > inflexibility > inflexible person
rigida1646
rigidist1716
inexorable1748
stickler1799
tough1928
no man1930
toughie1960
hard-ass1962
jobsworth1970
1928 C. Connolly Let. July in Romantic Friendship (1975) 321 I am becoming a tough, an anglophobe, and reverting to intolerance and intellectual pride.
1931 H. Nicolson Diary 21 Aug. (1966) 89 The latter asked whether Tom would join him and the Tory toughs in opposition.
1980 Times 23 June 31/1 The so-called ‘toughs’ who support Mrs Thatcher's policy—like Sir Keith Joseph..against the ‘wets’ led by Jim Prior.
Compounds
In special collocations.
tough baby n. a person given to hard-headed, violent, or lawless behaviour.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > violent behaviour > [noun] > person
tyrant1377
routera1500
termagant1508
ruffy?a1513
ruffiana1525
pander1593
thunderbolt1593
bully1604
ruffiano1611
tearer1633
violentoa1661
boy1662
violent1667
hardhead1774
Arab1788
ring-tailed roarer1828
blood-tub1853
tornado1863
stormer1886
hooligan1898
Apache1902
ned1910
rough-up1911
radge1923
goonda1926
pretty-boy1931
tough baby1932
bad-john1935
hoon1938
shit-kicker1954
tough boy1958
oafo1959
ass-kicker1962
droog1962
trog1983
1932 E. Wallace When Gangs came to London xxiii. 234 I've had real tough babies on their knees to me in a police station, begging me to be put in a cell.
1946 P. G. Wodehouse Joy in Morning ii. 12 Scanning the roster of the females I've nearly got married to in my time, we find the names of some tough babies.
tough boy n. slang (originally U.S.) = tough baby n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > violent behaviour > [noun] > person
tyrant1377
routera1500
termagant1508
ruffy?a1513
ruffiana1525
pander1593
thunderbolt1593
bully1604
ruffiano1611
tearer1633
violentoa1661
boy1662
violent1667
hardhead1774
Arab1788
ring-tailed roarer1828
blood-tub1853
tornado1863
stormer1886
hooligan1898
Apache1902
ned1910
rough-up1911
radge1923
goonda1926
pretty-boy1931
tough baby1932
bad-john1935
hoon1938
shit-kicker1954
tough boy1958
oafo1959
ass-kicker1962
droog1962
trog1983
1958 ‘F. Newton’ in P. Gammond Decca Bk. Jazz v. 68 It is no use being censorious about the atmosphere of..tough boys and sleezy vaudevilles in which the great blues singers were nurtured.
1974 T. P. Whitney tr. A. Solzhenitsyn Gulag Archipel. I. i. vii. 294 The interrogators and their tough-boy helpers dashed in from the interrogation prison.
tough-cake n. see quots. 1881, 1896.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > dishes and prepared food > cake > [noun] > a cake > griddle cake
hot cake1683
griddle-cake1783
flannel-cake1792
slapjack1805
knead-cake1810
singing hinny1825
Welsh cake1867
tough-cake1881
society > occupation and work > materials > derived or manufactured material > metal > base metal > [noun] > copper > types of
garcopper1654
rose copper1678
tile copper1825
pimple copper1848
blister-copper ore1861
pimple metal1870
tough-cake1881
tough pitch1881
electrolytic1912
1881 Trans. Amer. Inst. Mining Engineers 1880–1 9 187 Tough-cake, refined or commercial copper.
1896 E. Durham Gloss. Toughcake, a water-cake, or white-cake, baked on the girdle. No currants used.
tough guy n. colloquial (originally U.S.) a person not easily injured or thwarted; frequently attributive.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > bodily constitution > bodily strength > [noun] > robustness > person
stalworthc1400
Ironsidea1470
stalwart1508
iron man1643
pine knot1836
iron woman1900
hard rock1922
toughie1929
tough guy1932
hard-ass1962
hardbody1980
1932 J. T. Farrell Young Lonigan vi. 279 He pretended that he had cleaned up all the tough guys on Fifty-eighth Street.
1938 L. MacNeice Mod. Poetry viii. 149 E. E. Cummings, the ‘tough-guy’ American poet.
1946 R. Chandler Let. 30 May in Sel. Lett. (1981) 75 Bogart, of course, is..much better than any other tough-guy actor... Ladd is..a small boy's idea of a tough guy.
1946 H. Croome Faithless Mirror vii. 75 Tough guys with a heart of gold.
1981 J. Dunning Deadline (1982) xix. 187 At the bottom of that tough-guy facade, you're just like all the rest... Scared to death.
tough-iron n. see quot. 1686.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > materials > derived or manufactured material > metal > iron > [noun] > type of iron > other types of iron
landiron1428
wood-iron1536
bullate1591
bullet-iron1686
tough-iron1686
Russia iron1751
Russian iron1758
sable1785
Russia1805
stub-iron1820
bushel-iron1831
Russia sheet-iron1835
stub-nail iron1839
stub Damascus1845
Berlin iron1854
charcoal-iron1858
Bessemer iron1864
tank-iron1864
ship-plate1873
ingot iron1877
tank-plate1892
structural1895
Armco1914
1686 R. Plot Nat. Hist. Staffs. iv. 161 The fourth and best sorts of Iron they call tough-Iron of which they make all sorts of the best wares.
tough movement n. Transformational Grammar a transformation applied to a sentence moving words of a certain class (of which tough is one), from one part of the sentence to another (e.g. to convince John is hard: John is hard to convince).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > linguistics > study of grammar > syntax or word order > syntactic relations > [noun] > change of word order or position > specific types of movement or transformation
cleft construction1937
wh-transformation1957
rank shift1961
rankshifting1965
fronting1966
pseudo-cleft1967
promotion1968
pseudo-clefting1970
tough movement1971
slifting1973
extraposing1976
1971 P. M. Postal Cross-over Phenomena iii. 27 There is a class of adjectives in English, hard, tough, easy, difficult, impossible, simple, which have played a prominent role in discussions of the need for a transformational grammar of English... The contrast between sentences like..a Throneberry is easy to please. b Throneberry is eager to please..is by now well known... There is a special rule defined for this class..which involves the movement of an NP out of the predicate of the complement sentence. Let us refer to this rule as tough-movement.
1977 Canad. Jrnl. Linguistics 1976 21 157 Consider (24), resulting from Passive, and (25), resulting from Tough-Movement, as answers to the question ‘Why was John arrested?’ (24) That he robbed a store was reported in the newspaper. (25) That he robbed a store is hard for us to believe.
tough nut n. colloquial (originally U.S.) a person difficult or dangerous to deal with.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > difficulty > [noun] > that which is difficult > a difficult thing or person
sluta1475
nut1540
Tartar1669
bitch1699
handful1755
tickler1825
pebble1829
hard ticket1847
tough nut1862
bear1876
Roger1885
trier1893
peb1903
heller1923
pawful1925
honey1932
sod1936
toughie1945
motherfucker1948
hard-arse1966
1862 in E. W. Pearson Lett. from Port Royal (1906) 81 There are a great many men of twenty-five to forty, ‘tough-nuts’ many of them.
1892 ‘M. Twain’ Amer. Claimant xxv. 263 His father was rather a tough nut.
1922 E. O'Neill Hairy Ape viii. 83 Say, yuh're some hard-lookin' guy, ain't yuh? I seen lots of tough nuts dat de gang called gorillas, but yuh're de foist real one I ever seen.
1950 Times 12 May 7/7 For the ‘tough nut’ the youth club as at present constituted offered no fold.
1977 C. McCullough Thorn Birds x. 236 Meggie was going to be a tough nut to crack and he couldn't afford to frighten or disgust her... He'd woo her the way she obviously wanted.
tough pitch n. commercially pure copper in which the amount of cuprous oxide was reduced by poling to the value at which it would produce minimum brittleness; usually attributive or as adj.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > materials > derived or manufactured material > metal > base metal > [noun] > copper > types of
garcopper1654
rose copper1678
tile copper1825
pimple copper1848
blister-copper ore1861
pimple metal1870
tough-cake1881
tough pitch1881
electrolytic1912
1881 Trans. Amer. Inst. Mining Engineers 1880–1 9 187 Tough-pitch, see Tough-cake.
1903 Engineering 4 Dec. 753/3 When the right amount of oxygen is present, the copper is said to be ‘tough-pitch’.
1949 P. C. Carman Chem. Constit. & Prop. Engin. Materials vii. 220 The product is a ‘tough-pitch’ copper of over 99·9% purity.
1964 H. Hodges Artifacts iv. 70 Correctly poled copper, tough pitch copper, still contains a little cuprous oxide.
tough-stone n. = puff stone n. at puff n. and adj. Compounds 2.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > structure of the earth > constituent materials > rock > sedimentary rock > [noun] > other argillaceous
tough-stonea1641
waxen vein1681
mudstone1736
marlstone1766
marlite1794
pelite1879
lutite1904
a1641 J. Smyth Berkeley MSS (1885) III. 175 In this toune [Dursley] is a rocke of a strange stone called a Puffe stone or as some pronounce it a tough stone.
Draft additions 1993
Also elliptical, (that's) tough: ‘too bad’.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > adversity > calamity or misfortune > unfortunately [phrase] > unfortunate but inevitable
just too bad1929
(that's) tough1958
1958 R. Tiernan in Quixote Spring 7 ‘Tough,’ Buzz said, ‘Listen, we're having a stag dinner.’
1975 Business Week 22 Sept. 44/1 If people do not want to save enough to meet supposed requirements..‘that's just tough’.
1986 I. Banks Bridge ii. iii. 131 That's all there is to it, and if you don't like it, tough.
1989 Jackie Pop Special No. 22. 11/4 I want to look good for myself and if nobody likes it—well tough.
Draft additions January 2002
tough love n. originally U.S. protection of a person's welfare (esp. that of a child, addict, or criminal) by enforcing certain constraints on him or her, or requiring him or her to take responsibility for his or her actions; (hence in Politics) any policy designed to encourage self-help by restricting state benefits (frequently attributive); (in extended use) behaviour which, though seemingly harsh or unyielding, is intended for the ultimate benefit of the recipient.
ΚΠ
1957 R. B. Cattell Personality & Motivation iv. 135 It is a sociological pattern, varying from family to family of ‘Overprotectiveness—vs—Tough Neglect’.]
1968 W. Milliken & C. Meredith Tough Love i. 15 He was the first person to demonstrate tough love to me, and I began to respect him for it.
1976 Social Work 21 319/3 Tough Love..enables the recipient to become more self-reliant and self-confident. It takes place in an egalitarian relationship where there is room for mutual give and take.
1987 Toronto Star (Nexis) 21 Feb. b5 A new wave of ‘tough love’ or self-help proposals coupled with workfare, not welfare, are exciting social activists.
1988 R. Lefever How to combat Alcoholism & Addiction 67 Precisely what is involved in tough love in allowing the sufferer from addictive disease to take the full consequences of his or her disease?.. Not telling lies to the employer, the courts or anyone else. Not paying off the debts of the primary sufferer [etc.].
1995 Economist 14 Jan. 49/2 The governor would also cut off welfare payments to able-bodied mothers after two years, although their children would continue to receive support. Not for nothing is Mr Wilson now being dubbed the ‘tough-love’ governor.
2000 Z. Smith White Teeth (2001) xii. 317 Joyce slipped the huge garden scissors out of her apron pocket,..and placed the exposed throat of a blue delphinium bloom between two slices of silver. Tough love.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1913; most recently modified version published online March 2021).
toughv.
/tʌf/, U.S. /təf/ slang (originally and chiefly U.S.).
1. intr. to tough it (out): to withstand (to the end) difficult conditions or adverse circumstances without flinching. Cf. to rough it out at rough v.2 Phrases 2.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > decision > constancy or steadfastness > be constant or steadfast [verb (intransitive)] > endure without giving way
bearOE
sustaina1382
dreec1400
to bear, hold tack1580
to stick out1677
to tough it (out)1830
to keep (carry, have) a stiff upper lip1837
to take it (or life) on the chin1928
to hang in1969
1830 Massachusetts Spy 27 Jan. Judy with whom he had toughed it three years.
1833 S. Smith Life & Writings Major Jack Downing 24 Most of the larger boys had shoes, but we little fellers that want big enough to wear shoes. We little fellows had to tuff it out as well as we could.
1852 Knickerbocker 39 26 You don't need no medicine; you'll tough it out, I dare say.
1873 C. Thaxter Isles of Shoals 64 Our brave little schooner ‘toughed it out’ on the distant ledge.
1939 L. M. Montgomery Anne of Ingleside xviii. 121 She darkly opined that it would be a miracle if he toughed it out till spring.
1956 T. H. Raddall Wings of Night (1957) xxxii. 241 She was a great ol' lady... Just kep' her chin up and..toughed it out to the end.
1982 H. Lieberman Night Call xvi. 94 We'll tough it out, but sacrifices will have to be made.
2. transitive. With object in place of it: to withstand to the end.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > decision > constancy or steadfastness > adhere constantly or steadfastly to [verb (transitive)] > endure without giving way
tholec1175
suffera1387
outbear1530
to fight out1548
sustain1573
stand1575
hold1592
to stand out1600
to bide out1637
to stand for ——1896
tough1974
1974 Newsweek 20 May 23/2 Everybody..was pressed into service denying that Mr. Nixon planned to quit; his daughter Julie vowed that he would tough out the impeachment process to its end in the Senate.
1979 Courier-Mail (Brisbane) 27 Sept. 1/6 Mr. Sinclair signalled he would try to tough out the crisis.
1981 Observer 26 Apr. 15/4 Fraser, it is assumed, will tough out this latest crisis.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1986; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.adv.n.a700
v.1830