noun
definition
A person who obtains things by force; a thug or bully.
example
They were doing fine until they encountered a bunch of toughs from the opposition.
verb
definition
To endure.
definition
To toughen.
adjective
definition
Strong and resilient; sturdy.
example
The tent, made of tough canvas, held up to many abuses.
definition
(of food) Difficult to cut or chew.
example
To soften a tough cut of meat, the recipe suggested simmering it for hours.
definition
Rugged or physically hardy.
example
Only a tough species will survive in the desert.
definition
Stubborn.
example
He had a reputation as a tough negotiator.
definition
(of weather etc) Harsh or severe.
definition
Rowdy or rough.
example
A bunch of the tough boys from the wrong side of the tracks threatened him.
definition
(of questions, etc.) Difficult or demanding.
example
This is a tough crowd.
definition
Undergoing plastic deformation before breaking.
interjection
definition
Used to indicate lack of sympathy
example
If you don't like it, tough!
Examples of tough in a Sentence
This was a tough day.
It'll make things tough, but it's only a few months.
She was tough, loyal, and beautiful.
It must be tough on Donnie too.
It was a tough job you set us there, my word!
She comes across like a tough gal but she's really very sweet.
She had a tough night.
She's so sweet and she's had such a tough life.
They saw a mass of tough green vines all matted together and writhing and twisting around like a nest of great snakes.
My source with the CBI isn't that privy to what's happening and it's damn tough acting on what I'm not supposed to know.
Tough choice for you to make.
It's been a tough couple of weeks, he answered.
It's been tough on Howie.
It's pretty tough trying to rent a room with a piece of yellow tape strung across it.
You'd have to be pretty mentally tough to go through all this without cracking.
How tough is this going to be?
I hope they give him a tough time.
Oh, man, that's tough.
The hills are the tough part.
Yeah, that would be tough.
Not so tough anymore, are you, little girl.
The operation consists of paring off the tough sward to a depth of I to 2 in.
The salt volatilizes (mostly in the form of a mixed vapour of the two components, which reunite on cooling), and condenses in the dome in the form of a characteristically fibrous and tough crust.
At the end of the 6th century all the provinces of the Empire had become independent kingdoms, in which conquerors of Germanic race formed the dominant nationality., The remnants of the Empire showed an uncommonly tough vitality.
The latter are usually constructed from the tough fibre of the Agave americana and consist of one or more cables.
Times were tough at his father's shop as the miners ' strike hit the local economy.
The medusae of this order are characterized by the tough, rigid consistence of the umbrella, due partly to the dense nature of the mesogloea, partly to the presence of a marginal rim of chondral tissue, consisting of thickened ectoderm containing great numbers of nematocysts, and forming, as it were, a cushion-tyre supporting the edge of the umbrella.
And every time it's been really, really tough, you're the one who's been there.
Marine algae are usually mounted on tough smooth white cartridge paper in the following manner.
In the meantime a French brigade had, after a tough struggle, effected a lodgment at Kum Kale.
The materials are bound together by a tough white thread which is formed by a secretion of the kidneys of the male.
It is a wood most extensively used for furniture and for carriagebuilding, being tough in texture and bearing shocks well, while much of it has a handsome grain and it is susceptible of a fine polish.
It is remarkably tough, resisting a rending strain better than any of the fir or pine woods in common use, though not as elastic as some; properly seasoned, it is as little liable to shrink as to split; the boughs being small compared to the trunk, the timber is more free from large knots, and the small knots remain firm and undecayed.
Each spikelet contains a solitary flower with two outer small barren glumes, above which is a large tough, compressed, often awned, flowering glume, which partly encloses the somewhat similar pale.
The pelts, although very light, are tough and durable, hence their good reputation for linings for ladies' walking or driving coats.
The badger does not usually seek to attack, but, when driven to bay, its great muscular power and tough hide render it a formidable antagonist.
The outer wall, especially of the upper epidermis, has a tough outer layer or cuticle which renders it impervious to water.
Speeding motorists in the North East are facing a tough crackdown as part of a new campaign aimed at driving them off our roads.
Often seen with Lucy, a diminutive, tough, witty woman who always looked very cuddly.
We need to take a tough stance on all legal wrongs.
Zupan is equally strong-willed, cocky, tough and aggressive, but also funny and oddly sexy.
The wood is very white, and, from its soft and even grain, is employed by turners and toy-makers, while, being tough and little liable to split, it is also serviceable for the construction of packing cases, the lining of carts and waggons, and many similar purposes; when thoroughly seasoned it makes good flooring planks, but shrinks much in drying, weighing about 58 lb per cubic foot when green, but only 331 lb when dry.
These high school sports teams also are tough on your body, and serious injuries can sometimes occur.
With so many options, it's tough to make a confident decision.
If sleeping in the bedroom is tough, consider crashing on the sofa or in the guest room for a night or two.
Whether you are having a tough time this year, or know someone who needs a boost, you might want to solicit a little extra help this holiday season.
For strong little girls or tough and sexy adult women, the appeal of the Wonder Woman costume has been powerful for 60 years and only continues to grow.
Even in tough times, fun must still be had, and that's where amusing pet costume ideas come into play.
It's harmless fun, but in tough economic times, you shouldn't feel pressured into putting a lot of money into something that's just an occasional hobby.
Once you're out of school, meeting people your own age and with similar interests can be tough.