tough (
http://definr.com/tough)
adj 1: not given to gentleness or sentimentality; "a tough
character" [ant:
tender]
2: very difficult; severely testing stamina or resolution; "a
rugged competitive examination"; "the rugged conditions of
frontier life"; "the competition was tough"; "it's a tough
life"; "it was a tough job" [syn:
rugged]
3: physically toughened; "the tough bottoms of his feet" [syn:
toughened] [ant:
tender]
4: substantially made or constructed; "sturdy steel shelves";
"sturdy canvas"; "a tough all-weather fabric"; "some
plastics are as tough as metal" [syn:
sturdy]
5: violent and lawless; "the more ruffianly element"; "tough
street gangs" [syn:
ruffianly]
6: feeling physical discomfort or pain; "my throat feels bad";
"she felt bad all over"; ('tough' is occasionally used
colloquially for `bad' as in "he was feeling tough after a
restless night") [syn:
bad]
7: tough to cut or chew [ant:
tender]
8: unfortunate or hard to bear; "had hard luck"; "a tough
break" [syn:
hard]
n 1: someone who learned to fight in the streets rather than
being formally trained in the sport of boxing [syn: {street
fighter}]
2: an aggressive and violent young criminal [syn:
hood,
hoodlum,
goon,
punk,
thug,
toughie,
strong-armer]
3: a cruel and brutal fellow [syn:
bully,
hooligan,
ruffian,
roughneck,
rowdy,
yob,
yobo,
yobbo]