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Tough love - I'm kind of weary of that. I don't think it's so effective.
Marguerite Moreau

Meaning of "tough love" in the English dictionary

Dictionary
DICTIONARY
section

PRONUNCIATION OF TOUGH LOVE

tough love play
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GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF TOUGH LOVE

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
Tough love is a noun.
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.

WHAT DOES TOUGH LOVE MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Tough love

Tough love is an expression used, usually for the purpose of justification, when someone treats another person harshly or sternly with the intent to help them in the long run. The phrase was evidently coined by Bill Milliken when he wrote the book Tough Love in 1968 and has been used by numerous authors since then. In most uses, there must be some actual love or feeling of affection behind the harsh or stern treatment to be defined as tough love. For example, genuinely concerned parents refusing to support their drug-addicted child financially until he or she enters drug rehabilitation would be said to be practicing tough love. Athletic coaches who maintain strict rules and highly demanding training regimens, but who care about their players, could also be said to be practicing tough love. "Tough love" boot camps for teenagers have been described as child abuse, and the National Institutes of Health noted that "get tough treatments do not work and there is some evidence that they may make the problem worse".

Definition of tough love in the English dictionary

The definition of tough love in the dictionary is the practice of taking a stern attitude towards a relative or friend suffering from an addiction, etc, to help the addict overcome the problem.

WORDS THAT BEGIN LIKE TOUGH LOVE

touchstone
touchup
touchwood
touchy
touchy-feeliness
touchy-feely
tough
tough cookie
tough guy
tough titty
tough-minded
tough-mindedly
tough-mindedness
toughen
toughened glass
toughener
toughie
toughish
toughly
toughness

WORDS THAT END LIKE TOUGH LOVE

calf love
clove
courtly love
cupboard love
declaration of love
fall in love
for love
free love
glove
in love
labour of love
lad´s love
love
make love
mother love
puppy love
romantic love
self-love
truelove
unlove

Synonyms and antonyms of tough love in the English dictionary of synonyms

SYNONYMS

Translation of «tough love» into 25 languages

TRANSLATOR
online translator

TRANSLATION OF TOUGH LOVE

Find out the translation of tough love to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.
The translations of tough love 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 love» in English.

Translator English - Chinese

严厉的爱
1,325 millions of speakers

Translator English - Spanish

amor duro
570 millions of speakers

English

tough love
510 millions of speakers

Translator English - Hindi

मुश्किल प्यार
380 millions of speakers
ar

Translator English - Arabic

الحب القاسي
280 millions of speakers

Translator English - Russian

жесткая любовь
278 millions of speakers

Translator English - Portuguese

amor dura
270 millions of speakers

Translator English - Bengali

শক্ত প্রেম
260 millions of speakers

Translator English - French

amour dur
220 millions of speakers

Translator English - Malay

Cinta yang sukar
190 millions of speakers

Translator English - German

tough love
180 millions of speakers

Translator English - Japanese

タフな愛
130 millions of speakers

Translator English - Korean

힘든 사랑
85 millions of speakers

Translator English - Javanese

Cinta sing angel
85 millions of speakers
vi

Translator English - Vietnamese

tình yêu khó khăn
80 millions of speakers

Translator English - Tamil

கடுமையான காதல்
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Marathi

खडतर प्रेम
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Turkish

zor aşk
70 millions of speakers

Translator English - Italian

amore duro
65 millions of speakers

Translator English - Polish

Tough Love
50 millions of speakers

Translator English - Ukrainian

жорстка любов
40 millions of speakers

Translator English - Romanian

dragoste dur
30 millions of speakers
el

Translator English - Greek

σκληρή αγάπη
15 millions of speakers
af

Translator English - Afrikaans

taai liefde
14 millions of speakers
sv

Translator English - Swedish

tuff kärlek
10 millions of speakers
no

Translator English - Norwegian

tøff kjærlighet
5 millions of speakers

Trends of use of tough love

TRENDS

TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «TOUGH LOVE»

The term «tough love» is quite widely used and occupies the 44.473 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.
0
100%
FREQUENCY
Quite widely used
80
/100
The map shown above gives the frequency of use of the term «tough love» in the different countries.
Principal search tendencies and common uses of tough love
List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «tough love».

FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «TOUGH LOVE» OVER TIME

The graph expresses the annual evolution of the frequency of use of the word «tough love» during the past 500 years. Its implementation is based on analysing how often the term «tough love» appears in digitalised printed sources in English between the year 1500 and the present day.

Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about tough love

EXAMPLES

8 QUOTES WITH «TOUGH LOVE»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word tough love.
1
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!
2
Ami Bera
Sometimes as a parent, you have to give your child that doesn't do his or her chores some tough love and withhold the allowance.
3
Christie Brinkley
Your job as a parent is to listen. And to dole out as much love as you can. That includes tough love.
4
Thom Filicia
When we first sort of break in or bust into the house, if you will, there's some tough love.
5
Ricki Lake
What's the difference between tough love and acting like a jerk?
6
Marguerite Moreau
Tough love - I'm kind of weary of that. I don't think it's so effective.
7
Kelly Rowland
We all come to the point where it's time to get yourself straight, as a businesswoman, a mother, whatever you are in life. It's tough love but it's also being real with yourself. It's important to take those rose-coloured glasses off and see what's going on.
8
Jill Wagner
My boyfriends love my dad. He's like the perfect in-law to have. In fact, if my boyfriend and I are in a fight, my dad will choose his side. Always! He loves me, but it is tough love with me.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «TOUGH LOVE»

Discover the use of tough love in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to tough love and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.
1
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
2
Crash Course in Love
Now, for the first time, master matchmaker Steve Ward and his mother, JoAnn, share all of their straightforward, no-nonsense dating and relationship lessons in this handy guide to love.
Steven Ward, JoAnn Ward, 2009
3
Tough Love: High School Confidential
A sensitive, compassionate graphic novel about gay teenagers drawn in the style of Japanes manga.
Abby Denson, 2006
4
Tough Love Baby
However, with the appearance of a younger classmate, Sora, he may finally be able to experience the happiness of mutual love. Tough guys need love too!
‎2008
5
Tough Love: Amazon Encounters in the English Renaissance
"Schwarz's approach is sophisticated and wide-reaching, as she thinks through the nuanced way in which a single reference or metaphor mediates issues of sexuality/desire, on the one hand, and community formation on the other.
Kathryn Schwarz, 2000
6
Tough love: the life and death of Tupac Shakur, cultural ...
Essays. More than twenty young Black writers are gathered in this collection to offer a compelling blend of insightful and critical observations of the life and death of Tupac Shakur, hip-hop's premier gangsta rapper.
Michael Datcher, Kwame Alexander, Mutulu Shakur, 1997
7
Clarence Thomas and the Tough Love Crowd: Counterfeit Heroes ...
Assessing the influence of Clarence Thomas, Stephen Carter, Shelby Steele, V. S. Naipaul, Thomas Sowell, and others, a critical analysis of the black neoconservative movement discusses its powerful political voice and challenges its ...
Ronald Suresh Roberts, Jeffrey Shandler, 1996
8
Tough Love: How Parents Can Deal With Drug Abuse
Tough Love is hope. It is help. It is a way of recovery for drug abusers, and a positive, supportive program for their families. Tough Love is a gift of love and a gift of life for those who practice its plan.
Pauline Neff, 1996
9
Toughlove
Thousands of parents are finding new hope in dealing with rebellious teenagers through "Toughlove," a self-help program which has grown to over 800 groups throughout the United States and Canada in less than six years.
Phyllis York, David York, Ted Wachtel, 1985
10
Tough Love: Everyone knows you but nobody knows the truth
Can she trust her ruthless mother Tracy not to sell her out to the papers? Or will Kia's dad catch up with her and silence her for good? Tough Love is the startling debut novel from former pop star and tabloid favourite Kerry Katona.
Kerry Katona, 2008

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «TOUGH LOVE»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term tough love is used in the context of the following news items.
1
Tough love: Jeanie Buss promises changes if Lakers don't hit …
File photo: L.A. Lakers president Jeanie Buss opened on subjects like Lakers becoming contenders again, Phil Jackson and potential free agents during an ... «LA Daily News, Mar 15»
2
Jessie Ware Sings From Her 'Tough Love' CD in Brooklyn
Ms. Ware has a smoky, elegant voice, and part of the song's appeal is the sense that she's holding back, that she's too exhausted to sing over the top for this love ... «New York Times, Oct 14»
3
Review: On Jessie Ware's Tough Love, Sadness Sounds Sweeter
After two years of touring, collaborations and a marriage, the singer returns this month with her follow-up Tough Love, a collection that is, surprisingly, born ... «TIME, Oct 14»
4
Tough Love
But for all its vulnerability, Tough Love is tenacious, too, brimming with R&B grooves and a whole lot of soul. There are plenty of showcases for Ware's acrobatic ... «RollingStone.com, Oct 14»
5
Tyler Perry Gets Animated in the Trailer for Madea's Tough Love
On the heels of last year's A Madea Christmas, Tyler Perry is back with a very different twist on his popular franchise character. In the player below, you can ... «ComingSoon.net, Oct 14»
6
First Listen: Jessie Ware, 'Tough Love'
If you're feeling raw, Jessie Ware's Tough Love is a perfect companion, whether you use it as a balm or an echo chamber for your despair. On her second album ... «NPR, Oct 14»
7
Jessie Ware: Tough Love album review - The new Adele for cooler …
The whole package is one at odds with itself, but with second album Tough Love, it seems that the singer is happy to fully embrace her commercial potential. «Digital Spy UK, Oct 14»
8
Jessie Ware, Tough Love, review: 'a sleek, satiny affair'
While Tough Love is a more playful record, it's still a sleek, satiny affair that ... verse of the Ed Sheeran song Say You Love Me) she sounds least distinctive. «Telegraph.co.uk, Oct 14»
9
Jessie Ware: Tough Love review – classy retro soul-pop
South Londoner Jessie Ware is wearing a big white shirt on the cover of her second album, Tough Love. She is looking pensively out of a loft window. Visually ... «The Guardian, Oct 14»
10
Jessie Ware, Tough Love, album review: She is a natural diva
Not that she should worry: Tough Love is an obvious chart-topper, marked by a winning blend of simplicity and sophistication which recalls Sade, and an ... «The Independent, Oct 14»

REFERENCE
« EDUCALINGO. Tough love [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/tough-love>. Apr 2024 ».
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