tough
I.tough1 S2 W2 /tʌf/ BrE AmE adjective (comparative tougher, superlative toughest)
[Word Family: adverb: ↑toughly, ↑tough, ↑toughly; verb: ↑toughen; noun: ↑toughness; adjective: ↑tough]
[Language: Old English; Origin: toh]
1. DIFFICULT difficult to do or deal with:
It was a tough race.
She’s had a tough life.
The company admitted that it had been a tough year.
Tough decisions will have to be made.
The reporters were asking a lot of tough questions.
have a tough time (of it) (=face a lot of difficult problems)
The family has had a tough time of it these last few months.
it’s tough doing something
It’s tough being married to a cop.
be tough on somebody (=cause problems for someone or make their life difficult)
Having to stay indoors all day is tough on a kid.
It was a tough call (=a difficult decision), but we had to cancel the game because of the weather.
I find his books pretty tough going (=difficult to read).
Gage predicted the president’s proposal would be a tough sell (=something that is difficult to persuade someone about) before Congress. American English
when the going gets tough (the tough get going) informal (=used to say that when a situation becomes difficult, strong people take the necessary action to deal with it)
2. STRONG PERSON physically or emotionally strong and able to deal with difficult situations:
The men who work on the oil rigs are a tough bunch.
tough cookie/customer informal (=someone who is very determined to do what they want and not what other people want)
as tough as nails/as tough as old boots (=very tough)
He’s as tough as nails – a good man to have on the team.
3. STRONG MATERIAL not easily broken or made weaker:
tough, durable plastic
a very tough, hard-wearing cloth
4. STRICT/FIRM very strict or firm
tough on/with
My mother was very tough on my sister.
It’s time to get tough with drunk drivers.
The EU is taking a tough line with the UK over this issue.
5. VIOLENT AREA a tough part of a town has a lot of crime or violence
tough neighborhood/area/part of town etc
a tough area of Chicago
6. tough!/that’s tough! spoken used when you do not have any sympathy with someone:
‘I’m getting wet.’ ‘Tough! You should’ve brought your umbrella.’
She didn’t tell us she was coming, so if this screws up her plans that’s just tough.
7. tough luck! spoken
a) used when you do not have any sympathy for someone’s problems:
Well, that’s just their tough luck! It was their mistake.
b) British English used when you feel sympathy about something bad that has happened to someone:
You didn’t get the job? Oh, tough luck!
8. tough shit! spoken not polite used when you do not have any sympathy for someone’s problems
9. VIOLENT PERSON likely to behave violently and having no gentle qualities:
one of football’s most notorious tough guys
tough young thugs looking for trouble
10. FOOD difficult to cut or eat OPP tender:
The meat was tough and hard to chew.
the tough outer leaves of the cabbage
11. tough love a way of helping someone to change their behaviour by treating them in a kind but strict way
—toughly adverb
—toughness noun [uncountable]
II.tough2 BrE AmE verb
tough something ↔ out phrasal verb
to deal with a difficult situation by being determined, rather than leaving or changing your decision:
She told herself to be brave and tough it out.
III.tough3 BrE AmE noun [countable]
old-fashioned someone who often behaves in a violent way
IV.tough4 BrE AmE adverb
[Word Family: adverb: ↑toughly, ↑tough, ↑toughly; verb: ↑toughen; noun: ↑toughness; adjective: ↑tough]
in a way that shows you are very determined:
Washington played tough in the second half of the game.
You’re talking tough now but you wait until you get into the interview.
toughhu| ◎ | [tʌf] | | ※ | tính từ | | | ■ | dai, khó cắt, khó nhai (thịt..) | | | ☆ | tough meat | | | thịt dai | | | ☆ | tough rubber | | | cao su dai | | | ■ | chắc, bền, dai (giày..) | | | ☆ | a tough pair of walking boots | | | một đôi ủng bền | | | ■ | dai sức, dẻo dai; mạnh mẽ (người) | | | ☆ | tough constitution | | | thể chất mạnh mẽ dẻo dai | | | ■ | khắc nghiệt; không nhượng bộ, cứng rắn | | | ☆ | tough measures to deal with terroism | | | những biện pháp cứng rắn để giải quyết nạn khủng bố | | | ■ | (từ Mỹ, nghĩa Mỹ) thô bạo, mạnh bạo, lộn xộn, hung bạo | | | ☆ | one of the toughest areas of the city | | | một trong những khu dữ dằn nhất thành phố | | | ■ | bền bỉ, cứng rắn, không dễ bị đánh bại, không dễ bị thương, có khả năng chịu đựng thử thách | | | ☆ | a tough spirit | | | một tinh thần bất khuất | | | ☆ | coal-miners are a tough breed | | | những thợ mỏ than là loại người cứng cỏi | | | ■ | (thông tục) gay go, không may (thời vận..) | | | ☆ | that's tough! | | | thật không may! | | | ☆ | oh, tough luck! | | | ôi, thật đen quá! | | | ■ | khó khăn | | | ☆ | a tough journey | | | một cuộc hành trình khó khăn | | | ■ | (từ Mỹ, nghĩa Mỹ) (từ lóng) du côn, khó điều khiển, khó trị | | | ■ | cứng, rắn lại (đất sét) | | | 〆 | be/get tough (with somebody) | | | ✓ | cứng rắn, thực thi các biện pháp quyết liệt, có thái độ kiên quyết | | | 〆 | as tough as old boots | | | ✓ | (thông tục) rất dai, khó nhai (thịt..) | | | 〆 | a tough customer | | | ✓ | (thông tục) một người khó điều khiển, khó vượt qua. khó thoả mãn... | | ※ | danh từ | | | ■ | (thông tục) thằng du côn, tên vô lại; người thô bạo và hung tợn (như) toughie | | ※ | ngoại động từ | | | ■ | (+ something out) (thông tục) chịu đựng (một tình huống khó khăn với quyết tâm cao) |
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