Meaning of "tough" in the English dictionary

ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD TOUGH

Old English tōh; related to Old High German zāhi tough, Old Norse tā trodden ground in front of a house.

Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their changes in structure and significance.

PRONUNCIATION OF TOUGH

tough  [tʌf]

GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF TOUGH

Tough is a verb and can also act as a noun, an adjective and an adverb.

A noun is a type of word the meaning of which determines reality. Nouns provide the names for all things: people, objects, sensations, feelings, etc.

The adjective is the word that accompanies the noun to determine or qualify it.

The verb is the part of the sentence that is conjugated and expresses action and state of being.

See the conjugation of the verb tough in English.

The adverb is an invariable part of the sentence that can change, explain or simplify a verb or another adverb.

WHAT DOES TOUGH MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Tough

Tough may refer to: ▪ Toughness, the resistance to fracture of a material when stressed ▪ Machismo, prominently exhibited or excessive masculinity ▪ Psychological resilience Tough may also refer to...

Definition of tough in the English dictionary

The first definition of tough in the dictionary is strong or resilient; durable. Other definition of tough is not tender. Tough is also having a great capacity for endurance; hardy and fit.

CONJUGATION OF THE VERB TO TOUGH

PRESENT

Present

I tough

you tough

he/she/it toughs

we tough

you tough

they tough

Present continuous

I am toughing

you are toughing

he/she/it is toughing

we are toughing

you are toughing

they are toughing

Present perfect

I have toughed

you have toughed

he/she/it has toughed

we have toughed

you have toughed

they have toughed

Present perfect continuous

I have been toughing

you have been toughing

he/she/it has been toughing

we have been toughing

you have been toughing

they have been toughing

Present tense is used to refer to circumstances that exist at the present time or over a period that includes the present time. The present perfect refers to past events, although it can be considered to denote primarily the resulting present situation rather than the events themselves.

PAST

Past

I toughed

you toughed

he/she/it toughed

we toughed

you toughed

they toughed

Past continuous

I was toughing

you were toughing

he/she/it was toughing

we were toughing

you were toughing

they were toughing

Past perfect

I had toughed

you had toughed

he/she/it had toughed

we had toughed

you had toughed

they had toughed

Past perfect continuous

I had been toughing

you had been toughing

he/she/it had been toughing

we had been toughing

you had been toughing

they had been toughing

Past tense forms express circumstances existing at some time in the past,

FUTURE

Future

I will tough

you will tough

he/she/it will tough

we will tough

you will tough

they will tough

Future continuous

I will be toughing

you will be toughing

he/she/it will be toughing

we will be toughing

you will be toughing

they will be toughing

Future perfect

I will have toughed

you will have toughed

he/she/it will have toughed

we will have toughed

you will have toughed

they will have toughed

Future perfect continuous

I will have been toughing

you will have been toughing

he/she/it will have been toughing

we will have been toughing

you will have been toughing

they will have been toughing

The future is used to express circumstances that will occur at a later time.

CONDITIONAL

Conditional

I would tough

you would tough

he/she/it would tough

we would tough

you would tough

they would tough

Conditional continuous

I would be toughing

you would be toughing

he/she/it would be toughing

we would be toughing

you would be toughing

they would be toughing

Conditional perfect

I would have tough

you would have tough

he/she/it would have tough

we would have tough

you would have tough

they would have tough

Conditional perfect continuous

I would have been toughing

you would have been toughing

he/she/it would have been toughing

we would have been toughing

you would have been toughing

they would have been toughing

Conditional or "future-in-the-past" tense refers to hypothetical or possible actions.

IMPERATIVE

Imperative

you tough
we let´s tough
you tough

The imperative is used to form commands or requests.

NONFINITE VERB FORMS

Infinitive

to tough

Past participle

toughed

Present Participle

toughing

Infinitive shows the action beyond temporal perspective. The present participle or gerund shows the action during the session. The past participle shows the action after completion.

SYNONYMS OF «TOUGH»

The following words have a similar or identical meaning as «tough» and belong to the same grammatical category.

synonyms of tough

adamant · aggressive · arduous · austere · awful · badass · baffling · bleak · boot boy · bravo · brawny · bruiser · brute · bully · carnivorous · chewy · cohesive · criminal · determined · difficult · draconian · durable · exacting · exhausting · feisty · fibrous · firm · fit · grim · gristly · hard · hard as nails · hard-bitten · hard-nosed · hard-wearing · hardened · hardy · harsh · heavy · high-powered · hooligan · inflexible · intractable · irksome · knotty · laborious · lawless · leathery · merciless · perplexing · pugnacious · puzzling · resilient · resistant · resolute · rigid · robust · rough · roughneck · rowdy · ruffian · ruffianly · rugged · ruthless · seasoned · self-assertive · self-confident · severe · sinewy · solid · stalwart · stern · stiff · stout · straitened · strapping · strenuous · strict · stringy · strong · sturdy · tenacious · thorny · thug · troublesome · tsotsi · two-fisted · unbending · unforgiving · unpleasant · unyielding · uphill · vicious · vigorous · violent · wild

TRANSLATION OF TOUGH

Find out the translation of tough to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.

The translations of tough from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «tough» in English.

• Translator English - Chinese: 强硬的
• Translator English - Spanish: fuerte
• English: tough
• Translator English - Hindi: कठिन
• Translator English - Arabic: قَاسٍ
• Translator English - Russian: жесткий
• Translator English - Portuguese: resistente
• Translator English - Bengali: শক্ত
• Translator English - French: dur
• Translator English - Malay: Sukar
• Translator English - German: zäh
• Translator English - Japanese: 丈夫な
• Translator English - Korean: 질긴
• Translator English - Javanese: Angel
• Translator English - Vietnamese: gai góc
• Translator English - Tamil: கடுமையான
• Translator English - Marathi: कठीण
• Translator English - Turkish: sert
• Translator English - Italian: duro
• Translator English - Polish: nieustępliwy
• Translator English - Ukrainian: жорсткий
• Translator English - Romanian: dur
• Translator English - Greek: σκληρός
• Translator English - Afrikaans: taai
• Translator English - Swedish: tuff
• Translator English - Norwegian: tøff

10 QUOTES WITH «TOUGH»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word tough.

1

Shawn Amos

Year after year, we see a new crop of musicians who do their best to look tough in lipstick and makeup. Maybe it's a cry for help, an admission of their strong feminine side, or the realization that they don't look so good any other way. Whatever the reason, makeup is as rock n' roll as a Marshall stack.

2

Jim Bankoff

I would imagine that if you had a media brand that is solely focused on publishing 5,000-word stories with beautiful proprietary photographs and highly-produced videos, it would be a tough thing to make that economically sustainable.

3

Bipasha Basu

I'm active even on bad days; it's tough to pin me down. People ask me if I'm a morning or night person. I'm an all-the-time person. I like drinking coffee, but I do it with lots of milk because my energy levels are high even without caffeine. You could call me Obelix, except I don't have a belly.

4

Mark Batterson

Over the years I've grown more comfortable with making people uncomfortable because that is when growth can happen. You need a little conflict. You need a little tension. And that is part of my calling. A little tough love goes a long way!

5

Dennis Bergkamp

Our two biggest rivals had adjusted their whole season to this one aim of beating us. Of course, it is a big compliment that they were so motivated to stop us but it was very tough to face two matches like that so close together. Suddenly three trophies are down to one.

6

Ben Bradlee

The really tough thing would have been to decide to take Woodward and Bernstein off the story. They were carrying the coal for us - in that their stories were right.

7

Greg Brenneman

Financing is tough, and you really have to work hard in the businesses you invest in.

8

Adam Brody

Any time you end a relationship, and everyone has ended plenty in their life, it's always a tough thing and hard to get over.

9

Jon Carroll

When the going gets tough, the tough get empirical.

10

Bikram Choudhury

I am tough, and sometimes I tell it like it is. tough love can work wonders.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «TOUGH»

Discover the use of tough in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to tough and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.

How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power ...

This provocative and profoundly hopeful book will not only inspire and engage readers, it will also change our understanding of childhood itself. “Illuminates the extremes of American childhood: for rich kids, a safety net drawn so tight ...

Paul Tough, 2012

Wrestling Tough

Award-winning author Mike Chapman first presents the attributes that serve as a common link among wrestling champions through the decades.

Mike Chapman, 2005

Love Must Be Tough: New Hope for Marriages in Crisis

Love Must Be Tough offers the guidance that gives you the best chance of rekindling romance, renewing your relationship, and drawing your partner back into your arms.

James C. Dobson, 2010

301 Smart Answers to Tough Business Etiquette Questions

As times change, so do norms of behavior in the office. 301 Smart Answers to Tough Business Etiquette Questions has the answers you need to survive daily life in the professional environment.

Vicky Oliver, 2013

'Choosing Tough Words': The Poetry of Carol Ann Duffy

The first full-length collection of essays on the poetry of Carol Ann Duffy. Duffy's poetry is both respected by academics, and widely read and enjoyed by both children and adults.

Angelica Michelis, Antony Rowland, 2003

Tough!

Told from the bully's perspective, Sam doesn't feel she is bullying people, until she realizes that the others think she is mean.

Erin Frankel, 2012

101 Tough Conversations to Have with Employees: A Manager's ...

Inappropriate attire, lateness, sexually offensive behavior, not to mention productivity and communication issues ... these are just a few of the uncomfortable topics bosses must sometimes discuss with their employees. 101 Tough ...

Paul FALCONE, 2009

Dexter the Tough

A sympathetic teacher and her writing assignment help fourth-grader Dexter deal with being the new kid in school after he punches a kid on the first day.

Margaret Peterson Haddix, 2007

Tough Like You

The world’s first health and wellness book from an action athlete’s perspective, this guide provides compelling personal accounts of injury, health, training, and healing by action sports athletes in various disciplines that can be ...

Amos Soma Fuller, 2012

Tough Choices: A Memoir

A former CEO, president, and chairperson of Hewlett-Packard traces her educational upsets before entering the business world in her twenties, her struggles as a high-profile businesswoman in a male-dominated arena, her role in HP's ...

Carly Fiorina, 2007

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «TOUGH»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term tough is used in the context of the following news items.

The Latest WWE Tough Enough Elimination Revealed, More …

Since WWE Superstar The Miz was announced as now-former Hulk Hogan's replacement as a Tough Enough judge, WWE announcer Byron Saxton is now ... «Wrestlezone, Jul 15»

Patrick talks about his shocking elimination from WWE Tough Enough

The collective jaws of viewers watching “Tough Enough” on USA Network dropped this week when Patrick Clark Jr.'s name was called for elimination. «Channel Guide Magazine, Jul 15»

'Tough Enough' Gabi says she's 'not a quitter,' will be back with WWE

When Brazilian fitness model Gabi Castrovinci was introduced on WWE “Tough Enough,” she showed off a strong personality that irritated some — make that ... «SportingNews.com, Jul 15»

WWE Tough Enough Recap (7/7): Tussle Breaks Out On Show, Two …

WWE Tough Enough Recap (7/7): Tussle Breaks Out On Show,. Welcome to our WrestlingINC.com Tough Enough coverage. This is episode 3, and the giants ... «Wrestling Inc., Jul 15»

Tough Enough's Giorgia Piscina interview: 'I wanna be the Divas …

A unique combination of pre-recorded reality telly and live competition, 13 budding Superstars and Divas are finding out if they are tough enough for a career in ... «Digital Spy UK, Jul 15»

1000 runners infected with norovirus at muddy obstacle course race …

Muddy obstacle courses like Tough Mudder are notoriously difficult to complete – but one event in France appears to have inadvertently created a way to make ... «Telegraph.co.uk, Jun 15»

WWE Tough Enough: "Boot Camp or Bust" Review

Even with this premiere of WWE's new season of Tough Enough - which mercifully switched up its format several times during the hour - I still frequently checked ... «IGN, Jun 15»

Hulk Hogan on 'Tough Enough' and How Kevin Owens Made Him a …

Which is why his latest gig as a judge on WWE's returning reality competition Tough Enough – premiering Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on the USA Network – makes ... «RollingStone.com, Jun 15»

WWE Tough Enough Announces Daily Coverage With Periscope …

The @WWEToughEnough account on Periscope will also include guest appearances from the show's host WWE Superstar Chris Jericho®, Tough Enough ... «Wrestling Inc., Jun 15»

WWE Network to Air Tough Enough Competition Special Tonight

STAMFORD, Conn., June 16, 2015 – The Tough Enough Competition Special, a one-hour show chronicling the official tryouts of 40 finalists for WWE Tough ... «Wrestlezone, Jun 15»