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WordReference can't find this exact phrase, but click on each word to see its meaning:
We could not find the full phrase you were looking for. The entry for "tough" is displayed below. Also see: shit
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026tough /tʌf/USA pronunciation
adj. -er, -est, adv., n., v. adj.
- strong and long-lasting:tough plastics.
- difficult to chew;
not tender:a tough steak.
- capable of great endurance;
hardy:tough troops.
- not easily influenced, as a person;
stubborn:a tough negotiator.
- difficult to perform or deal with:a very tough exam.[It + be + ~ + to + verb]It's tough to get a good grade from him.
- hard to bear or suffer through;
severe:a tough struggle to succeed.
- vicious;
rough;
violent:a tough neighborhood.
- [Informal.]unfortunate;
bad:tough luck.
adv.
- in a tough manner:They play tough, but not dirty.
n. [countable]
- a rough, tough person who attacks others;
a rowdy.
v. Idiom.
- Informal Terms, Idioms tough it out, [no object]to keep going and resist hardship or difficulty:Instead of giving up, they decided to tough it out.
tough•ly, adv.
tough•ness, n. [uncountable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026tough
(tuf ),USA pronunciation
adj., -er, -est, adv., n., v. adj.
- strong and durable;
not easily broken or cut.
- not brittle or tender.
- difficult to masticate, as food:a tough steak.
- of viscous consistency, as liquid or semiliquid matter:tough molasses.
- capable of great endurance;
sturdy;
hardy:tough troops.
- not easily influenced, as a person;
unyielding;
stubborn:a tough man to work for.
- hardened;
incorrigible:a tough criminal.
- difficult to perform, accomplish, or deal with;
hard, trying, or troublesome:a tough problem.
- hard to bear or endure (often used ironically):tough luck.
- vigorous;
severe;
violent:a tough struggle.
- vicious;
rough;
rowdyish:a tough character; a tough neighborhood.
- practical, realistic, and lacking in sentimentality;
tough-minded.
- [Slang.]remarkably excellent;
first-rate;
great.
- hang tough, [Slang.]See hang (def. 50).
adv.
- in a tough manner.
n.
- a ruffian;
rowdy.
v.t.
- tough it out, [Informal.]to endure or resist hardship or adversity.
- bef. 900; Middle English (adjective, adjectival); Old English tōh; compare Dutch taai, German zäh(e)
1. firm, hard. 5. durable. 6. inflexible.
1. fragile. 5. feeble, weak.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
tough /tʌf/ adj - strong or resilient; durable: a tough material
- not tender: she could not eat the tough steak
- having a great capacity for endurance; hardy and fit: a tough mountaineer
- rough or pugnacious: a tough gangster
- resolute or intractable: a tough employer
- difficult or troublesome to do or deal with: a tough problem
- informal unfortunate or unlucky: it's tough on him
n - a rough, vicious, or pugnacious person
adv - informal violently, aggressively, or intractably: to treat someone tough
- hang tough ⇒ informal to be or appear to be strong or determined
vb - (transitive) slang to stand firm, hold out against (a difficulty or difficult situation) (esp in tough it out)
Etymology: Old English tōh; related to Old High German zāhi tough, Old Norse tā trodden ground in front of a houseˈtoughish adj ˈtoughly adv
'tough shit' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
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